For most of this week, Oscar Pistorius has been testifying on his own behalf in the murder trial of Reeva Steenkamp. South Africa has that weird court thing where you can’t see video of the person testifying, but you can hear a live feed of their testimony. I’ve been paying attention to the coverage sporadically, because (as you may remember) I’ve already made up my mind about this case and I get sick to my stomach whenever Pistorius turns on the waterworks or chokes up with emotion. Do I believe he’s sorry about what went down that night? Sure. But I believe he’s mostly sorry for himself, and I still think he’s lying his ass off.
The basics of Oscar’s testimony: Oscar’s story about what went down the night of Reeva’s death/murder has barely changed. His defense is still that he was disoriented, grabbed his gun and shot like crazy through the bathroom door and only realized afterwards that Reeva was not in bed with him. But… Oscar’s story about his romance with Reeva started to fall apart when the prosecutor really went after him about Reeva’s texts, which detail a very dysfunctional relationship with a violently jealous narcissist. You can read some coverage here.
But really, I wanted to talk about this detail that I only learned of recently, but it’s apparently gotten wide coverage in the past two weeks. Oscar already has a new girlfriend. And she’s 19 years old. Because of course.
Olympic star Oscar Pistorius is on trial for allegedly murdering his girlfriend – but that hasn’t stopped South Africa’s infamous “Blade Runner” from finding a new 19-year-old sweetheart! Incredibly, The ENQUIRER has learned the teen beauty’s family approves of the relationship.
The 27-year-old double amputee, who gained international fame after competing in the London 2012 Olympics on prosthetic legs, met his new squeeze, Leah Skye Malan, in December.
Pistorius was free on bail after being charged with murdering model Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year. But Leah, a University of Johannesburg paramedic student, doesn’t seem fazed by the scandal.
“She’s helped support him through this difficult time and has introduced him to all her family,” said a source. “They have embraced him.”
Sources say Pistorius spends a lot of time at Leah’s apartment, and on weekends the two often visit her parents, Beverley-Ann and Andre, at their small farm in Potchefstoom, about two hours from Johannesburg.
“Leah’s parents, especially her dad, treat Oscar like a son,” the friend continued. “He’s able to relax in their company and be himself.”
That might seem unnerving to some, considering that Pistorius admits shooting Reeva to death through the bathroom door in his bedroom, claiming to have mistaken her for an intruder. And, ominously, just three weeks earlier, Reeva had sent him text messages saying she was afraid of him.
“To be Oscar’s girlfriend after what happened is like playing Russian roulette with five of the six chambers loaded,” said an insider. “I don’t know how Leah can get a good night’s sleep under the same roof with Oscar.”
According to other reports, Oscar and Leah met in December (ten months after he killed Reeva) and when they go out, he “wears disguises.” There are even some reports that Leah has been in the courtroom a few times these past few weeks. My God. Just FYI: Oscar is 27 years old. When you were 19 years old, would your parents have been cool with you dating a 27 year old on trial for murdering his previous girlfriend?!!?!?!? NO I’M REALLY ASKING.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Getty.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
I can’t listen to him speak either myself.
He really has an annoying voice, I’ve never heard someone feel so sorry for themselves. At least the prosecutor is calling him on all his bullshit, it’s all about you, me, my, I mine, and how Reeva’s behaviour reflected on him, I loved watching him ripping into OP on the stand.
Its the first time I have seen Nel in action. He is brilliant. Everything you have said is so right, he is guilty as hell, oh God what if all his blubbering is softening the judge !!! cant stand the thought of this maniac walking free.
I am pissed of listening to his whiny , snivelling ,pathetic ,miserable , murdering bastard voice.Don’t you agree?????
Blah everything about him repulses me
I was watching the trial on tv the other day and I had to change channel. I can’t stand his shaky voice, his crocodile tears and his face. If there was justice in this world he would have been behind bars since day one.
Exactly!
The tears are so effin over-the-top.
Did you see how the judge warned him to get his shit together?
I bet that judge was really fighting the urge to get up and punch him in the face. I swear to god I had to change program because I wanted to jump inside my telly and rip his heart out of his chest.
Hey, Kitten…any idea of where is that girl (Annie, I believe) now? Remember how passionately she defended him when we were discussing his bail hearings? She even used the word “innocent” at one point.
I wonder what she thinks now…
I actually think his tears are genuine. For himself. Not for what he did, or who he did it to, but he’s very upset that he’s actually having to pay a consequence.
Also interesting that someone so interested in guns should be so squeamish.
bluhare, yes, that’s exactly what I think, too, it’s how he can be so convincing.
It creeps me out six way to Sunday just to look at a photo of him or hear his sniveling voice, I cannot fathom that this young lady is actually dating him or that her parents are cool with it.
Thank God, SA doesnt have a jury system, I have actually read someone comment something to the effect, “he did do it in a rage but dont lock him up because he is really suffering now”. And lets face it, there are women who will excuse anything off of a good looking guy, especially if he is vulnerable and ripe for that smothering type of love that inhabits fantasy land.
I hope that Judge locks him up and throws away the key.
I can’t. I just can’t. I’ve got to watch my blood pressure. But it makes me absolutely ill how everything is still all about him.
Christ in the Cross are you kidding Me??… But then again a 19 y.o that is the barrel he is going to be shooting fish in forever, Naive almost teens dazzled by his money and looks… That is unless he goes to prison!, no self actualize normal together woman in his age group is touching that with a ten foot pole
Nailed it as usual.
That’s it. His options have become far more limited. I don’t understand why the family supports the relationship, though. Maybe trying to cash in?
It can only be cash…or more likely their 15 minutes of fame…nothing more. Sick.
How does he get to be free on bail during the trial? He admits to killing her………its a just a matter of premeditated or self defense etc. That’s crazy that he gets to be out on bail until the decision.
Remember that bail isn’t about whether someone is guilty or not, and it’s definitely not about punishment – that’s what a trial and sentencing are for. Bail is simply about whether you’re an immediate threat to the community and whether you’ll show up when the trial eventually happens. Pistorius managed not to shoot anyone else, and showed up for the trial. If you look at it that way, the decision to grant him bail was obviously correct.
The question of whether an accused murderer (who admits to the shooting) is a risk to the community relies on a judgement call. In other countries, he might not have been granted bail. But you can’t look at this specific case in isolation, you have to recognise that it’s standard practice in SA … and for very good reason. During apartheid, SA had a huge problem with people (political prisoners) being locked up for years, even decades, awaiting trials that never happened.
Given that history, it makes sense that they have a comparatively lenient bail system: unless they’re sure you’ll flee the country or commit another crime, you’ll get bail – even if you’re accused of murder.
Interesting blog on SA Law which expains that “intention” is a wide term, and also that PIstorious starting to change his defense during testimony may mean he is already setting himself up for a guilty verdict: http://criminallawza.net
Thanks to the Sixlets, as I mentioned on the BLOKE thread, I have heard most of the evidence. I’m thinking there will be a guilty verdict. His cross examination has been poor in that the prosecutor has got him to use the exact words about his behaviour that would negate an acquittal even if you do buy that he believed there was a home invasion. To be innocent under SA law, as I understand it, self defence is a last resort thing – so you can’t admit to being either aggressive or reckless. And, in his own words, he’s been trapped into admitting both.
The judge was being very careful today, too, asking him if he was ok to carry on – to me, it seemed as though she were making sure that his admissions couldn’t be challenged as down to distress or fatigue in any appeal.
Thanks for the synopsis.
I hope the judge is thinking that and i hope you’re right that there will be a guilty verdict.
Thanks. That helps a good bit. This trial has been more confusing to me than any of the U.S. court trials I have followed.
That is encouraging!
Agreed, the judge was making sure it was on record that he stated he was not too tired or ill to be answering these questions and that his answers were not impacted by these things. I’ve read a lot about the judge and she is well respected with her decision making so I’m assuming it’s difficult to pull the wool over her eyes and that she is probably the last judge on Earth Oscar would have selected if he had the choice. Very interested to see the verdict after watching all of this unravel.
Yes. It was an entirely different kind of intervention from the judge. She’s suggested breaks when he’s got distressed before but she’s never purposely put it on record that he confirmed he was ok to answer questions, nor reprimanded the prosecution before this cross examination. I’m sure it is because Pistorius was making culpable admissions (in terms of SA legal definitions and standards) and she was guarding against appeal.
Er, did anyone really think he wasn’t going to go down for culpable homicide (aka being reckless in shooting at “robbers”)? SA’s self-defence laws don’t allow you to shoot blindly through a door. Even if the person in the bathroom HAD been an intruder, even if they’d been armed with their own weapon, he’d still be guilty of culpable homicide.
I don’t think he’s really tried to defend himself against that at all. He’s been defending himself against the murder charge but not the culpable homicide charge. I’m pretty sure his lawyers are aiming for a culpable homicide conviction as the best case scenario.
So I’m don’t think admitting recklessness counts as a lapse. I think it’s strategic. By admitting to the lesser charge, he’s hoping to be believed while denying the greater charge. On top of that, the sentencing for culpable homicide is up to the judge’s discretion (ranges from a fine to 15 years jail). If you’re clearly guilty, then admitting it, and appearing remorseful, would likely get you a lesser sentence than trying to argue that your actions were somehow justified.
What a shame that there is a woman so deprived of her selfconfidence to support this horrible man. Speechless!
Ugh, and her PARENTS too!
Exactly. What mother on Earth could see Reeva Steencamp’s photo and hear the inconsolable grief of her mother and allow Oscar Pistorius to be anywhere near their daughter?
Everytime I hear about or see Reeva my heart just sinks. What a horrible, tragic fate to what seemed to be an amazing young woman. This is just a tragedy all around.
It amazes me that for almost every killer out there, there’s a woman willing to be their girlfriend or marry them.
Someone should check their house for a gas leak, because that’s the only explanation for three adults thinking this is OK.
Charles Manson found one, I want to say they’re even getting married. She’s a young girl as well (around 21-22) if I remember correctly. I think there’s a screw loose if you find these people attractive.
Manson himself said in an interview regarding that girl that it would never happen, she just thinks it will.
ahh, thank you katy.
Are you talking about this girl named Star with all her crazy petitions?
Girls are awful for dating killers, abusers and deadbeat dads. I don’t know how they date these guys when their actions are so disgusting.
How are you okay with a guy neglecting his kids? Why will a guy who beat his ex not beat you?
Unless the guy went through major therapy, don’t date him. Girls think they’ll somehow change him. Not happening.
In this case, they’re probably seeing dollar signs
Yes, it’s a genuine phenomenon. Serial killers getting love letters and proposals in jail. WTF is wrong with these women? They think a killer is “misunderstood” and feel sorry for him? Do the like the danger, or not even acknowledge it?
If I were this girl’s parents I would leave the country with her! Although she must be a dim bulb.
@ Audrey – the thing with guys who don’t pay child support or who beat an earlier girlfriend is that the guy LIES big time to the new girlfriend (and everyone else) about the circumstances – i.e. he tells the new GF the ex lied about the assault and he pled guilty just to get it over with or he tells the new GF the judge was on “her” (the ex’s) side and that’s why the child support was set so high that he could never pay it, blah, blah, blah).
And yes, there are women who are drawn to famous criminals. It’s not healthy.
My mother has a friend who was a therapist. She drummed into me that you should never try to change a man. This was the number one complaint she heard over and over again from men: I thought she loved me for me, but now she trying to change me!
This is exactly what these women think they can do – its both arrogant and stupid.
This is really f*cked up. No way my dad would agree to this. He would do ANYTHING to keep me away from that monster. I don’t think Pistorius deserves redemption or somebody to help him rebuild his life. He should be behind bars till the end of his days with no joy or hope.
+1,000,000!!
Anybody ever watch the show Prison Wives? Anyone?
It’s really fascinating and incredibly depressing.
I have never seen it but would watch it, what network does it come on?
OMG yes .
I remember one where the lady married a man who was charge with murder and rape, she can’t afford her bills or food more of the time because she sends all her money to him. When one of his cellmates got out of jail for murder went to live with her and she couldn’t understand why her daughter wants nothing to with her or him.
It just blows my mind and depresses me at the same time.
It works the other way to. There are women who have been killers that have gotten married from behind bars. Susan Smith from the Charles Manson family comes to mind-heck she got married TWICE from behind bars if memory serves.
People can be messed up about that stuff.
Susan Atkins. You are correct about the number of marriages though. She, of course, “found jesus.”
Susan Smith is the one that drowned her kids in her car.
/truecrimeobsessive
Men do this too, but there have been fewer high profile female killers.
I think it is kind of like being attacted to “bad boys”. Sometimes people want to be THE special one that changes him for the better. Kind of like Katy Perry, but on a much grander scale.
It’s easy to make a romance perfect when it’s not real.
She’s the link to the outside, so he equate s her with freedom and a new start. He’s not going to leave her for another woman, he can’t cheat and if he engaged sexual activity it won’t be because he found someone better–heck, maybe he was forced. They don’t have the routine and mundane details of everyday life, which means when he sees her it’s an event and there has been anticipation. All of that pent up passion and stolen kisses–that’s Harlequin and they are star-crossed lovers. They speak when she wants to speak, they see each other when she wants it, he has so much time to think about her, write to her, dream of her because he has nothing and nobody else. She’s his support system and confidante, she will care for when he leaves, she will be everything to him and she will care for and support him. It takes an insecure woman to reach out to someone because he has no other options and therefore can’t reject her. He seems sincere now but everybody finds Jesus while on lockdown.
My step-father who stabbed and killed my mum when I was 14, found a woman to marry him while he was in jail less than 6 months after.
It doesn’t matter what I say but I am so, so, SORRY. It’s just sick.
No words-but I really hope you and your family are doing OK. What are horrible crime to be a victim of. Bless you and your mum.
I’m so sorry, Mingy. To lose your mother so horribly when you were just a child and then that very same year to see her killer finding “love” and a new life for himself, inside OR outside prison, had to be beyond awful for you. There is no comprehending such a man OR any woman who would marry him.
Thank you guys for your kind words.
Do you hear that? It’s my dad screaming at the though of me ever being associated with this man. And no, I’m not 19.
To answer your question Kaiser. HELL….NO!!!
Oh, that’s lovely! Now he will have someone handy to kill if he gets off. I just love me a love story.
HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND NOW?!?!?!? IS SHE SANE?!?!?
First Joe Francis impregnates someone, now this?!?!? *drops dead*
THIS WAS MY EXACT REACTION! What kind of IDIOT dates someone that previously shot his girlfriend? I don’t even care that it was an “accident” (I do not believe so either). The texts prove he was unstable son of a gun before hand and you’re going to DATE THAT?!? “You in danger, girl” has never applied more than here.
He’s not allowed to have a girlfriend. Like: NO. Put him away for life.
My blood boils every time I read about this waste of space. I don’t think he’s sorry he did it, I think he’s sorry he got caught and few believe him.
I’m retching reading this! He is a vile waste of space. His story doesn’t make any sense; he’s lying. If he’s so depressed and can’t sleep how in the world does he have ANYTHING to offer a girlfriend??? And he’s having sex with a 19 year old even though he’s so CUT up about Reeva’s death? I can’t…
My blood boils, too. I was watching CNN’s report (with that Twitter updating thingy on the right of the screen) and there were times I wanted to scream.
By the way, take a look at this article (it’s from 2011 — way before he became a paralympic hero):
http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/Oscar-Pistorius-Hero-or-Hooligan-20111103
Please tell me the majority of commenters don’t believe he’s innocent? Luckily I have missed most of CNN’s coverage but reading some comments on various websites makes me want to shake the sh-t out of some people.
blue marie: There are. The DM has a headline with a woman giving him white lilies. And crying on someone’s shoulder afterwards.
@ Blue Marie:
No, I meant I was watching CNN’s live coverage of the trial (on tv — it’s CNN International here). They showed a split screen, with the trial being shown on the left side, and the CNN’s Twitter update on the right (like a recap of everything that was being said in court) in case people were not listening/not paying attention to what Nel and/or Pistorius were saying.
I didn’t check CNN’s website or Twitter feed — but the majority of commenters I’ve seen so far (from previous visits) seemed to be against him.
Ohh ok, I misunderstood Eve, sorry.
And that makes me sick bluhare.
Eve, I am sure the comments were disheartening! Sometimes on the CNN website I have looked at the comments, and they are the worst representation of humanity.
Agreed. Poverty and race figure in big time. Of course, if he was a famous and celebrated black sports star named OJ, that would be a horse of another color. But you’re absolutely right–an ordinary black guy from an ordinary inner-city neighborhood would be locked in the slammer without hope of freedom.
Hell no! My mom had a cow when I was 17 dating a 19-almost 20 yr old. She’d probably keel over if he was a convicted murderer!
Well to be fair he is not convicted yet. But I am surprised if he is not.
Doesn’t matter if he’s convicted or not. Even if he’s telling the truth (which I don’t believe for a minute), at the very least it shows he’s very volatile and killed someone by simply being careless. I would think no parent in their right mind would give their blessing to a daughter dating someone that reckless with guns.
There’s one very simple thing that blew his story out of the water for me. He admits he never told her he loved her. So all this “my beautiful Reeva, how I loved her” stuff after she died was just for us. He never told her that.
That’s what makes me roll my eyes at his story–you’re supposedly in bed with your girlfriend, and say you hear someone breaking in–so you grab a gun, and don’t make sure that you don’t know that she was there, with you? Whatever.
Exactly, Virgilia. That’s what stands out most to me too. The fact that he “heard” something, and the first thing he does is grab his gun to shoot? I think most men’s first instinct when they hear something suspicious is to make sure the people they care about/love are okay, before investigating!
P.S. I’m totally slacking at work today. It’s Friday, why not? 😀
Wow, that is kind of dumb for him to admit.
For me, the most damning thing is the fact that multiple neighbors in multiple households heard them arguing for over an hour before the shooting occurred.
He must be charming as hell. And I don’t mean that as a compliment.
I’ve been listening to the trial every day. And I’m trying to watch it objectively. I’m not sure how it works in SA, but in the US, the burden of proof is on the prosecution. But Nel seems to only be trying to corrupt Pistorius’s story, not to actually PROVE he fired his weapon with intent. Negligence? Absolutely. And Nel (the prosecuting attorney) has been reprimanded twice by the judge in as many days.
I actually think the prosecution would’ve been better to put forward that he fired his weapon with intent to kill, rather than trying to formulate a story with lots of detail about how it went down. As I understand it, they have to prove intent to kill and the rest of their suppositions are unnecessary.
As a second year law student, we need to hear the entire case before making judgment. Sure, we know that he did in fact kill her; but, he must be found guilty of PREMEDITATED murder without any reasonable doubt. Should he pay for his crime yes, but the sentence must fit the crime. Especially, since his actions led to this gruesome and untimely death of this beautiful woman. This is an emotional case, and we are likely to act upon emotion rather than weigh the logical facts of this case. He clearly is an irresponsible hot head, there is no doubt to that…
Also, this overzealous defense attorney needs to focus on the task at hand and not courtroom acting. He seems to be more enthralled with making an international name for himself. His courtroom theatrics, are shameful.
That’s where I’m at. He obviously killed her – no question. And I think that Gerrie Nel’s fault is he’s coming at this as though that *is* the question. Did he or didn’t he? But that’s not it at all. He should be trying to prove that he meant to kill the person in the bathroom, regardless of who he thought it was. But Nel keeps putting out random things about a fight, how light was it, blah, blah, blah. It’s not necessary.
I’m sure he’ll eventually try to get him on intent but is building a backup case for negligence. It does seem that he goes too far in random directions – it’s hard for Pistorius to follow and I’m sure that’s why he does it, but it’s also hard for anyone to follow. He’s a great attack dog, but is he actually laying out a case? I’m not sure yet.
I guess I’m also assuming he’ll serve time – but I’m not sure Nel’s convinced the Judge that he had intent to kill… we’ll see.
I disagree, Val. South African law differs from the US, so we shouldn’t apply the typical US standards to this case. “Guilty” doesn’t have to just be for premediated murder. In South Africa, they have Culpable Homicide, which is killing someone through negligence even if you didn’t premeditate it.
Also, if they are going for a charge of premeditation, the fact that multiple neighbors heard them arguing for over an hour before the shooting supports the idea that the shooting was the result of an argument that boiled over.
The prosecution is going forward and backward and dancing around the issue as it is because it is trying to get Pistorius sufficiently discomposed so that he is cornered into using certain words to describe his own behaviour – if he admits to being reckless or ever having been in the position of aggressor at any point, then it doesn’t matter if it was a mistaken home invasion belief or a row between them: it will be murder, not culpable homicide (or whatever the SA lesser charge for manslaughter is). And it’s worked in that Pistorius has explicitly admitted to recklessness with the gun charges he’s facing as secondary charges and pretty much in-so-many-words with regard to the shooting, too.
I didn’t see anywhere that he is admitting anything with respect to the gun charges he’s facing. The incident of shooting through the sun roof of the car, which both his best friend and ex-girlfriend have testified to? “That never happened, they’re both lying”, said the Crybaby Killer. The incident where he shot a gun under the table in a crowded restaurant? “The gun went off accidentally, I never touched the trigger”. When Gerrie Nels reminded him that the firearms expert testified that it was impossible for the gun to go off unless someone pulled the trigger, Crybaby Killer responded that his defence attorney should have cross-examined the expert better.
Pistorius answered one of the gun questions with “I was reckless”. That’s the SA legal definiton/standard/test for guilty so that’s enough for the judge to convict him right there.
Most of the evidence we are hearing is sound and fury and irrelevant to any eventual verdict. That piece of evidence from Pistorius himself is a conviction on the lesser gun charge. And the prosecution is going for similar self-incrimination on the homicide charges because their other evidence isn’t strong enough.
I also watch the court daily and I think what Nel is trying to do now is to show how self-centered and agressive OP is. Also he tries to prove that OP is trying to go along with his lies but failing with the details as the story unravels. This is all a part of the process, he is painting us the characteristics of a murderer. He is knitting a spider web around OP and at the and at the end he will be able to prove that OP is a liar and and he killed Reeva with intent.I think Nell is on fire, I imagine it would be hard answering him whether you are guilty or not.
Gerrie has been quite something to watch.
Yes, highly impressive, and I hope the ‘best’ is yet to come. RIP Reeva.
Ugh.
I admired this guy so much in the lead up to the Olympics. I feel like a total chump.
Yup. You and the rest of us. 🙁
Don’t. We admire athletes, actors and other famous people, but that’s because we only see what their PR team wants us to see. We really have no idea what they are like as people.
He’s just sorry he got caught and his defense is more flimsy than a tank top from Forever 21. He had a fit of rage and killed her, end of story.
Except his story has changed. And the prosecutor called him out on it. From when he was first interviewed, to his bail hearing, to now-each time he tweaks it just slightly so he can still claim ‘he didn’t know’
Heck, even when new witnesses in the main trial started saying they hear screaming, his story changed that he was yelling and screaming so he could claim they heard him and not Reeva screaming.
It’s obvious he’s a liar, and to give credit to the prosecutor-they’ve been ripping his various stories to shreds.
His story is constantly changing. Example: if you read his affidavit, he says that when he heard the noise in the bathroom, he assumed that Reeva was still in bed, and only found out later that she was in the bathroom. In his testimony, he said that when he woke up and got out of bed, she spoke to him, asking him if he had trouble sleeping. He says that she got out of bed while he was at the balcony door, but he didn’t see her get out of bed because his back was to her and it was dark – but why didn’t he hear her? My husband and I get out of bed to use the bathroom almost every night and I can assure you that, no matter how quiet we are, if the other person is awake, they can hear the rustling of the bedsheets, the creak of the bedsprings, the sound of footsteps on the floor (yes, even bare feet on a carpeted floor). He’s lying.
PUT HIS ASS IN PRISON RIGHT NOW. He kill this girl, and those tears are not sorry and I don’t feel sorry for him. He is going to get charge. So lock him up and throw away the key. He is just pathetic.
Let me make this plain. My mother would BEAT MY ASS. Beat. My. Ass.
LOL. I wanted to say my father would kill me . . . but that’s not so great either!
When I was a reporter many moons ago, I covered the trial of a man who raped and killed his two children and his wife in front of his mother-in-law, then killed her, too. Guess who attended his trial every day? His girlfriend.
Jaysus. That is just…horrific and astonishing.
Because he’s so misunderstood, everybody! The excuse for the ages.
Wow, that would have been traumatizing to witness.
Seriously, what the fuck is wrong with her?
Horrific doesn’t begin to describe that kind of evil. SMH that something like that ever could take place. And the mother-in-law having to watch her daughter and grandchildren……………..brain bleach needed for this one. Nothing personal, but I wish I hadn’t read that just now.
Thing is, in my mind, if he did think it was an intruder WOW messed up judgement on how he acted thereafter and if he did wish to gun her down, guilty but either way he should be locked up for good as he is a danger to society.
I suppose she has her head sort of on straight! Atleast When (not if) he shoots her, she is a paramedic and can use her first aid knowledge!
Like everyone else, I can’t stand watching his snivelling, self-pitying, rehearsed act. His stage-managed “apology” to Reeva Steenkamp’s mother was nauseating.
I used to think he was a hell of a role model but went off him in an instant during the 2012 Paralympics. It was just after one of his finals – the 200m I think – when he lost out to a Brazillian athlete. Just after they all crossed the line & whilst the BBC were still interviewing the winner, Oscar came barging over, ranting about how the Brazilian’s blades were too long & therefore his win wasn’t legal. & then you could literally see his thought processes written all over his face: he remembered his precious image – thoughtful, humble, christian Oscar – & pasted that mask back on. But for about a minute there was a glimpse of someone really angry, entitled, unpleasant & ungracious. Bastard.
I hope he rots in hell – self-absorbed, arrogant egotist.
Yeah, those glimpses of the rage monster he really is under the carefully cultivated image are really disconcerting. Based on the texts between him and Reeva it seems she was getting grief from her friends and/or family for being/staying with him. They clearly weren’t fooled and maybe even saw her death coming, how horrific, so to have to witness this farce of a trial must be agonizing.
It makes me wonder whether he’s a psychopath – they are very, very good at putting on a “mask” of the person they want you to see, but which is very different from the person they really are.
His douch-y side smirk says it all. I cannot wait for the guilty verdict.
What? I have two daughters. Anyone who had shot and murdered a woman would not be hangin’ with me in my house as a “son”. Anyone who had rage issues around women, also. I can’t imagine how the parents are pimping out their daughter to such a violently unhealthy man.
This.
Exactly.
Whoa. I’ve been following the entire story since the day he killed her. I was mesmerized by the fact that common sense says he killed her cold heartedly and deliberately and yet there is a complete lack of evidence to support that idea. If you read the transcripts from the trial the prosecution’s case is weak and I was really hoping there would be more evidence on their phones but there isn’t much of anything. The vast majority of the messages are loving and affectionate, with just a handful being what could only be best called as “speculative.” The prosecution’s case rests entirely on witness testimony in regards to screams heard that night and when they occurred in correlation to Reeva’s wounds, if it was even her screaming at all. For the rest of the trial the best the prosecution has is to try to discredit the positive character image the defence is trying to generate.
From a factual standpoint, nothing points to innocent and nothing points to guilty. It’s mind boggling and all of this rest squarely on the shoulders of the judge and two assessors. I have no idea what their opinions are at the moment and Im gagging to hear it. The rest of the trial is just going to be a farce, no one has any certifiable evidence.
I dont know what to think about Oscar but having a girlfriend, having her there and having her be that age is repulsive. Her family is even more disgusting.
Exactly. Which is why the prosecution is working so hard to get Pistorius to convict himself out of his own mouth. This case doesn’t hinge on whether it was an argument or he really believed there were intruders – if they can get him to admit recklessness, he’s guilty either way.
@ Cro-girl:
“I dont know what to think about Oscar but having a girlfriend, having her there and having her be that age is repulsive. Her family is even more disgusting.”
His family repels me, too. The look on their faces (hiis mother, sister and especially his brother) is not of any sort of embarrassment…or that they’re sorry for all that happened.
There’s an air of arrogance that really bothers me. They don’t seem sorry in the slightest, just “inconvenienced”.
@ Sixer:
Agreed.
Eve – I totally agree, wholeheartedly about the “inconvenienced” appearance of Oscar’s family. He just looks self obsessed. I don’t think prosecution is going to get him to admit or slip or crack even the slightest. Reeva’s mother’s face… its the only one that looks sane and indicative of the reality of the situation… and she’s like a stone. My heart breaks for her.
How dare you bring your factual and rational assessment here! Hang him! He’s a monster! Behead him! Eye for an eye! (
That’s sarcasm (just in case) I also think the prosecution’s case is weak as far as premeditated murder with intent. The way the police mishandled the crime scene is also extremely unfortunate. They really messed up.
I think the screams are VERY important. Not the ones during the shots, rather, the screaming that was heard for OVER AN HOUR before the shooting occurred.
Multiple neighbors heard them fighting leading up to the shots being fired. That completely supports the idea that the shooting was the result of a fight, and not something that occurred when they were both sleeping. You can’t pretend to think your girlfriend is sleeping when you have been yelling back and forth for an hour and then shoot.
That is not true. You keep saying that, but only one person said it was an hour yet only heard the last bangs. Those who heard both sets heard the yelling just before the first set until just after the last bang of the second set which was not an hour between but minutes. The witness who said it lasted an hour obviously exaggerated unless all the other witnesses lied
Speaking as someone who was in an abusive relationship, I can assure you that you would never find the exchange of messages between me and the abusive ex less than civil — and most likely they would seem affectionate. People other than the closest ones would never have guessed how depressed I was during most of the 1.5 year relationship — but my parents instinctively didn’t like him and my sister warned about him. So there it is — no evidence. I also hope they will somehow dig the confession out of his own mouth.
I remember when he competed in the London Olympics & was gracious about his defeat in the able body competition (but of course) but then heard him speak after the para-Olympic loss (clearly he though he would win being such a star & all) & he was a v v sore loser blaming the winner for having more advanced possibly illegal blades…THAT was his true character.
I agree that he is v v sorry…for himself .
I remember being in a bus with a bunch of our national coaches and athletes who knew Oscar and we all cheered when he lost. Whatever facade he presented to the public slipped considerably when the cameras were off, the man was the most hated athlete out there.
How can you horribly murder your girlfriend, accident or not, and be on trial….and be in a headspace that you would take on a new girlfriend???? I mean, he’s supposedly so traumatized right?!
How can you be surprised by that? I mean, this is the same guy who had his PR team visit him in prison (during his bail hearings) to discuss the future of his career.
Perhaps he thinks that him having a girlfriend will convince someone that he is not as bad as we believe?
I will never understand the draw some women have to men like this. Can you imagine telling your parents about your new boyfriend? “Well, he can’t come up with me this weekend, he’s kind of in jail for shooting his last girlfriend four times. But I think you’ll really like him! He’d never hurt a fly.”
He should be shot – in public, before a firing squad! Period.
OP makes me think of this quote I saw on Facebook:
Sometimes people just need a high five.
In the face.
With a chair.
I actually laughed out loud reading this.
Best expression I’ve heard in ages!
I have never believed his story since day one, and haven’t caught all the news and updates but some of his testimony from that fateful night. The fact that he can’t include or just plain forgot to add to his lie that he and Reeva had a hot night of passionate you-know-what, demonstrates to me how far from the truth his story is. If there were no problems or fights that night, on Valentines Day, with a beautiful girl, three months in… He wouldn’t have the energy to get up and take fans in, or whatever he says. He’d be blissfully asleep with his beautiful girlfriend nestled In his arms.
His story is so full of lies that I can’t believe anyone thinks he’s telling the truth. Rational people do not behave the way he says. A good prosecutor would also ask him to give any past examples where he had to pull his gun out for the exact same reason (due to a strange noise only), he can’t get away with saying this ONE time was sooooo scary that he had to suddenly react this way, so out of control with fear and paranoia… Nope not logical, not rational. But definitely the only cockamamie story a lying murderer would come up with on the fly just after murdering his girlfriend in a blind rage. Yes, some statements can be obvious lies just for their sheer inanity… Like a child with chocolate on his face and hands telling you that he didn’t eat the chocolate. A poor example yes, but I think it demonstrates my point.
He claims he thought there was an intruder in the bathroom. Reeva was shot four times, and I had read that the first bullet struck her in the hip. She would start screaming right then and there don’t you think? Wouldn’t that have stopped him in his tracks from continuing to fire through the closed door?He’s full of crap, never believed him. I think it was a bad argument gone horribly wrong. He doesn’t want to pay the price for what he’s done. And the tears! Please.
Well I think we all believe that they got in fight and in anger he shot her. And felt sorry for what he did the moment he did it. And would do anything to bring back time. And it’s sad. His life and career is ruined because of one stupid moment of angriness. But he killed innocent person. And he has to answer for it.
Having new girlfriend is disgusting. Should not have done it.
The entire “intruder in the bathroom” thing is so totally bogus. Somebody breaks into your home with the intention to steal or to harm you and the first thing they do is go to the bathroom? Maybe they just wanted to “freshen up” before continuing with their nefarious acts? Just the stupidest thing OP could have said. Totally illogical and beyond belief.
The more I read, the more his story stinks. Was Reeva really in street clothes when she was killed? I wonder if she was trying to sneak out of the house or outright escape when he shot her? I agree that his tears and whatnot is all for himself and his destroyed career (and given the way the world seems to work these days, I think he’s going to get away with it and get back into sports). And the young girlfriend already? Yeah, this dude is a real piece of work all right. I think his family doesn’t help with his attitude; they all seem really entitled and arrogant.
Paul Lynde (God rest his soul) would have found this guy’s acting hammy. Ugh, I wanted to change the channel but my hands were covered in raw chicken. And why do murderers always have dates?
I remember reading when this first came to light, that there was no way a person could fit through the bathroom window. It seems to have been forgotten though. I wonder if it was true. Either way, I think he is guilty.
RIP Reeva.
He won’t be the first or last male defendant in a murder trial to latch onto a new girlfriend in order to show that he is normal.
The problem with his story is his choice of bullets: black talon replica bullets.
You use those bullets when you intend to kill someone or hurt them terribly [usually fatal]. Even if you remove the argument of him knowing Reeva was in the bathroom out of the equation, it means that he fully intended on shooting anyone, irrespective of who they were, hiding in that tiny space.
The prosecution is digging holes into the defence story and I think the only way this man would be let off is if the court is bribed. He is guilty.
At 19, most parents would take issue with *any* 27 year old dating their daughter, but they’ve known each other just four months, and already hers “have embraced him”?
They are opportunists with really, really bad judgement who are just looking for a payday. She’ll be the star victim of his next murder trial.
The evidence shows what happened. They were having an argument and she ran into the bathroom and locked the door to get away from him, and he was enraged and fired into the bathroom. The whole intruder story is just stupid. Who would just randomly fire the gun without checking where the girlfriend was. He might be sorry now that he did it, now that the rage he had that night is gone, and his own future is on the line. He’s guilty and hoping his tears and his fame will save him.
I am so sorry for Reeva. I think media seem to forget her person. Clearly, he lies. Especially the questioning about the night has made it obvious. It just doesnt add up – the ventilators, the cord… I dont want to even imagine how the poor woman felt as this psycho was going after her. I really hope they can prove without any reasonable doubt that he shot her on purpose. It is beyond my understanding how could he behaved like that. I guess, and I know, domestic violence needs no reason but I just cannot understand how cruel one can be – he did not give her any chance. Any chance. And I believe, this is the shocking part.
What we know is that Leah is an idiot when no sense of self preservation, her parents are okay with her being potentially murdered by a jealous gun freak, but as long as there is some money and fame involved, who really cares? Nobody, even his friends never really liked or respected Oscar they were fame whores and have admitted it on the stand. So all of a sudden he’s developed a personality and isn’t a raging narcissist? Highly doubtful. Let’s see if she stands by him when he’s carted off to prison or if she sells his “inside story” for that fame and money she so longs for. Either way she’s going to be famous, as a victim or his girl selling him out. She just has to remember no matter what, he will be out of prison one day…
Black talon bullets, not missing Reeva’s body with any shot he fired, he was proficient with a weapon and his shooting proved that, he meant to kill her because she was breaking up with him, fully dressed and ready to leave when he pulled the gun she ran to hide from him and she shot her for daring to leave him. He has a history of threatening and stalking other women who left him and the men they dated after him, and he’s got a history of threats and violence. She wasn’t leaving his house alive that night and he didn’t call for an ambulance until after he’d called an uncle and estate manager friend, and then he messed up the crime scene per their suggestion and got a story to tell for the police. This defense is about his fear, nothing about the truth and their was no one breaking in that’s just the best excuse he could come up with after he shot his girlfriend who dumped him. Reeva was a vocal opponent of domestic violence and it’s terribly ironic she was with a man who killed her in a domestic violence incident. Reeva is free now and forever, it’s just so sad it was because of a legless jerk and that it had to be her.
He deserves a fair trial just like everyone else and it’s fair he gets to tell his side of the story. We will probably never actually know whether he did it on purpose on not unless he cracks down under Nel. Regardless, I’m glad the judge is the one who gets to decide what his punishment will be not the blood thirsty viewers.
Most of the comments on this board have been sympathetic to the victim, I don’t find that blood-thirsty, I call it compassionate and sympathetic. It isn’t fair to reduce the indignity felt by so many for Reeva as blind justice.
We feel for the victim, who is deceased and does not have a voice. We are trying to remember Reeva, for she is all that matters; how she spent her last moments here on this earth are horrifying, accident or not. That she died at the hands of a man she loved and trusted is tragic. He is getting a fair trial, in my opinion. He is the one that put this story out there, his job to defend it, and it is the justice system’s job to determine whether or not he is telling the truth.
If Oscar’s story weren’t so far-fetched and constantly changing, then would so many be calling out on his guilt? Not likely, if he were truly innocent, there wouldn’t be so many questions that remain so poorly unanswered; especially why he won’t or can’t access his phone, and why he didn’t call for help immediately after finding her mortally wounded.
Many of us here are women, with children, daughters. No mother should have to endure what Reeva’s mother is going through. The only unfair thing that has happened is Reeva’s premature and horrific death.
perfect response. Thank-you,
The man is guilty without a doubt, the scream he made in court… GET OUT OF MY F……KING HOUSE and then his blubbering, sealed it for me. Those are the words he screamed at Reeva before she ran and slammed the toilet door and then stood facing him he shot her in the hip and when he heard her hit the book stand he concentrated his fire in that direction. Oh my god I hope all his stupid self pity crying has not made the judge soft on him I will be devastated if he walks. There are so many of us here in uk who think Nel is so brilliant he has exposed Pistorious for the pampered brat that he is. He is sickening.
Also, the victim does have a voice. She has the coroner, whose job is to be her advocate in death. Her body is its own testimony to the true events.
They decided not to share the details of the examination with the public because of various concerns (for the dignity of the victim and her family, because it was too violent for mainstream media and so forth) so we’re not really privy to the details but I can promise that she has a voice and has made an impact upon the trial of her killer.
I think people here have been very decent. In the live screams there’s a lot baying for blood.
I don’t think his age is a problem but the murder trial… seriously?! I know this is SO easy for me to say because I haven’t been in such a situation, but I’d NEVER go out with someone accused of murdering someone… especially not if that someone was his girlfriend! It would give me the creeps. Like, will I be the next dead ex-girlfriend? Nope, I wouldn’t date such a person until it could be made 100% sure that he wasn’t guilty. Which really isn’t the case now.
And if he just grabbed his gun and shot aimlessly because he was terrified? Well, I still wouldn’t wanna be with him because that shows he’s unstable. Sure, you must be able to defend yourself against intruders, but the way he did it? No, thanks. And if it really was an intruder, why would that person go into the BATHROOM of all places? That’s really weird. If Pistorius actually believes this, he must be dumb. I guess he’s just lying, though. I don’t buy his BS for one second.
Oh and I think he looks really mean and evil. It’s not proof of his guilt but I’m just saying…
Luckily we have a judge that will decide on the verdict. Not people that have decided he is guilty just after they’ve heard about the shooting. Hopefully you will never be in the position that Oscar is in now, because then all your fellow “wolves” that is trying to rip him apart now, will then also jump on you. Remember, not guilty until proven guilty.
But he *IS* guilty. He killed her and he admitted that. Are you f*cking kidding me? Have you been to Mars all this time and heard about the case only now? He admitted he killed her. He admitted that he was “reckless” (that alone is enough to convict him of murder according to South Africa’s penal code).
What is left to be determined/proven is if he killed her ON PURPOSE, if this was a case of domestic violence OR just a case of a trigger happy dumbass who killed his girlfriend by “accident” (using the term “accident” loosely here because there was no accident: he shot to kill whoever was in that bathroom). Your “poor Oscar who is in a difficult position now” shot and killed another human being! Get a grip, for crying out loud.
This guy deserves spending the rest of his life in prison. Period.