Author Topic: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder  (Read 14114 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Anna

Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« on: August 18, 2015, 03:43:33 PM »
Monday 17 August 2015
 

Prosecutors have launched an appeal against the verdict in the case of a killing committed by South African athlete Oscar Pistorius.
 


Mr Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013.

A trial for the incident he admitted firing four shots into a locked toilet cubicle door and said he believed he was shooting at an intruder in his home.

But state prosecutors want the verdict – which is equivalent to manslaughter – upgraded to murder.

They say the paralympian knew there was someone hiding behind the door when he pulled the trigger, and that this amounts to the level of intent required for murder.

Oscar Pistorius is led out of court in Pretoria. Pistorius received a five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide by judge Thokozile Masipais for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius is led out of court in Pretoria. Pistorius received a five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide by judge Thokozile Masipais for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp  29-year-old Ms Steenkamp was a South African model and the partner of Mr Pistorius at the time of her death.

Mr Pistorius is due to be released on Friday after serving 10 months of a five-year sentence, a stint in line with South African guidelines for criminals who are not considered dangerous.

Ms Steenkamp's family have previously argued that  10 months in prison is “not enough” to do justice.

"As her family, we do not seek to avenge her death and we do not want Mr Pistorius to suffer; that will not bring her back to us,” they said in a statement released in June of this year.

A picture taken on January 26, 2013 shows Olympian sprinter Oscar Pistorius posing next to his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp - 3 weeks later Pistorius was taken into police custody. A picture taken on January 26, 2013 shows Olympian sprinter Oscar Pistorius posing next to his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp - 3 weeks later Pistorius was taken into police custody.  "However, a person found guilty of a crime must be held accountable for their actions. Incarceration of 10 months for taking a life is simply not enough.”

During sentencing, Judge Thokozile Masipa said prosecutors had failed prove Pistorius's intent to kill when he fired.

“We filed the appeal today,” South African National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said.



Mr Pistorius, a double-leg amputee, won gold medals in the men’s 400 metres and 4 x 400 metre relay at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.

He was also the first person with such a condition to compete in the Olympics that summer.

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case in November, according to the NPA. Mr Pistorius’s legal team has a month to file a formal response to the appeal.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/oscar-pistorius-release-prosecutors-launch-appeal-to-upgrade-verdict-to-murder-10459285.html
“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline Anna

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2015, 03:47:42 PM »
“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline mercury

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2015, 11:40:28 PM »
What do you reckon Anna? Did he know it was her? When he shot to kill, which he did


Offline Anna

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2015, 12:02:55 AM »
What do you reckon Anna? Did he know it was her? When he shot to kill, which he did

I have no idea, as I was not there, but if, as you say, he did shoot to kill...........................
“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline mercury

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2015, 12:23:43 AM »
I have no idea, as I was not there, but if, as you say, he did shoot to kill...........................
he shot to kill his gf there is no evidence he didnt

Offline puglove

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2015, 12:27:12 AM »
he shot to kill his gf there is no evidence he didnt

Of course he did, and it's totally obscene that he will be freed this week.

Jeremy Bamber kicked Mike Tesko in the fanny.

Offline Anna

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2015, 12:33:01 AM »
he shot to kill his gf there is no evidence he didnt

He was found guilty of Manslaughter or diminished responsibility, Mercury.
I believe he pleaded not guilty to murder, on the grounds that he thought there was a break in and the man was in there.
We will have to wait and see what happens at the appeal, which I believe is set for November. I feel so sorry for her family, who must be devastated to know that he is being released on Friday.
“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline Anna

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2015, 12:39:41 AM »
Of course he did, and it's totally obscene that he will be freed this week.

Maybe he will not be free for long though!
“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline puglove

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2015, 12:53:43 AM »
Maybe he will not be free for long though!

God, I hope not. It would be beyond a travesty if that boingy-legged lunatic picks his life up as if nothing happened, when that lovely, defenceless girl with her golden life before her died in such a brutal way.
Jeremy Bamber kicked Mike Tesko in the fanny.

Offline Passer-by

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2015, 06:23:47 PM »
News in is that he won't be freed this week.  That would certainly be an outrage.  Although I think in France this would have been treated as a Crime of Passion - ie more leniently than premeditated murder - he lived in one of the most secure private estates in South Africa (I'd have thought there was a panick button to the guardhouse at the gate?) so the likelihood of him not knowing who he was firing at is pretty slim.

Offline mercury

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2015, 09:52:44 PM »
Of course he did, and it's totally obscene that he will be freed this week.

If he was black and poor he would be rotting forever...a cliche but so true

Offline mercury

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2015, 09:58:49 PM »
He was found guilty of Manslaughter or diminished responsibility, Mercury.
I believe he pleaded not guilty to murder, on the grounds that he thought there was a break in and the man was in there.
We will have to wait and see what happens at the appeal, which I believe is set for November. I feel so sorry for her family, who must be devastated to know that he is being released on Friday.

His whole story about burglars had more  holes in it than THE big black holes in the universe and his witnesses were only "just" not laughed out of court. The prosecuting lawyer was also miles more believable than the joke of the defence lawyer, but as we know, from many many cases, the most pathetic of lawyers can get away with the most pathetic of things. I feel a little sorry for the judge, caught between a hard and a rock place herself though she did give him FIVE years for his "culpable homicide".

Reeva's parents will suffer another body blow if he is released and carries on camping!

Offline Anna

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2015, 10:01:02 PM »
latest news

“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato

Offline mercury

Re: Prosecutors launch appeal to upgrade verdict to murder
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2015, 10:48:57 PM »
Nice! Reevas family spending the day throwing flowers into the sea on her birthday and Oscar Pissedoffwithus looking forward to "community service" for four long years for blowing her brains out with his talon bullets
Or whoever he thought it might be who wasn't threatening him whilst he had his gun aimed at the door but was "making a noise in the loo" that sounded like a magazine rack being shifted or something as terrible as that
« Last Edit: August 19, 2015, 10:51:38 PM by mercury »

Offline Anna

“You should not honour men more than truth.”
― Plato