We are very judgemental creatures, us humans, and it is almost inevitable that in a high profile case like Oscar Pistorius’ we are going to cast our own judgement on whether he is innocent or guilty. As the trial draws to its lengthily close, The Telegraph have suggested 10 arguments to back both the innocent and the guilty camps regarding the premeditated murder of Reeva.
They suggest that these may be the 10 reasons that Judge Masipa may rule that Oscar is guilty:
1) Five neighbours told the trial they heard a woman screaming before what they believed were shots fired, suggesting Pistorius knew who he was shooting.
2) Another neighbour heard a man and woman arguing for an hour before there was the sound of four loud bangs.
3) Steenkamp still had food in her stomach meaning, the state pathologist said, she ate within two hours of her death at 3am. Pistorius said they went to bed at 10pm, five hours before she died.
4) Steenkamp described in WhatsApp messages how she was “scared” of Pistorius and his temper; his ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor testified that he had a bad temper and had fired his gun in anger once before.
5) During a shaky performance in the witness box, Pistorius changed his story and his defence from previous statements read at his bail hearing and the start of his trial; adding the last words he exchanged with Steenkamp and that he heard the lavatory door slam, and first saying he fired at an intruder, then that he fired by mistake.
6) On his account of challenging an intruder, Pistorius admitted he didn’t check the sound he heard with his girlfriend lying awake next to him. Five couples living nearby told the court how their first reaction on hearing bangs, screams or cries was to verify what they heard with the person next to them.
7) The trigger of the gun Pistorius fired had to be pulled four separate times to fire the four shots, suggesting a conscious action.
8) He could not explain how he never heard or saw Steenkamp leave the bed to go to the lavatory moments before he started shooting into the door, despite her being just feet away from him.
9) Pistorius said Steenkamp never responded to his instructions to call the police, or made a sound as she hid in the lavatory. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said this was “impossible” to believe.
10) Witness Dr Johan Stipp told the court he saw a light on in Pistorius’ bathroom when he heard shots fired; the athlete said he was “too scared” to switch the lights on until after the shooting.
Read their 10 reasons he may be found innocent here and decide for yourself. A month is a long time to wait for the closing arguments from both sides, who knows how long it will take for an official ruling in this case.
Just be glad you are not actually the judge in this case – it is not simple, clear or easy by any definition of any of those words!
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