Oscar Pistorius Trial: Friday 14 March 2014, Session 1

[@marknic79]

I broke my leg the other day and after speaking to Barry Roux about it he pursaded me that it wasnt actually my leg it was my arm!!!

[@unopatutunjadingwe1065]

What?lol..

[@donkeyshot8472]

south african police force are accused of stealing property of the accused: this is so disgraceful, words fail me.

[@chinarocks1618]

Something not right about Oscar and what he did. Not only did he not Check to see if Reeva was okay and was safe before he fired. He also carried Reeva downstairs and made many phone calls before calling the ambulance. His judgement and decisions are what makes him guilty..

[@lacylay3167]

Chris Best But if it was an 'accident' the first thing any person would do is call 911. They wouldn't have any reason to be afraid to tell the truth. and they wouldn't shoot 4 times!!!!!

[@marknic79]

Forget the watches Pistorius!! where your going you won't need them plus you will be getting plenty of time in which a watch isnt required!!

[@en23288]

'Icarus' Postorius! Flew too close to the sun! Oscar's life has devolved into the tragedy he tried so hard to overcome. It's a heartbreaker for both Reeva and himself..

[@lacylay3167]

Okay... Seriously, do any of you lock the door to the bathroom when your at home?? Why would she need to lock the door to go to the bathroom?? I believe she was trying to get away from him and OF COURSE the bathroom window is open, it was hot! They had the balcony open, too. AND it is impossible for someone to climb through that bathroom window without a security guard catching them. This is so dumb! His story is preposterous I think he is guilty of second degree murder.

[@theexplosionist2019]

Hard to prove in SA where the interpreter speaks "English" worse than the witnesses and the CSI team couldn't find evidence if Oscar himself gave them a signed written and verbal confession.

[@nikunjmajithis3302]

Lacy Hutchings TheExplosionist is the killer end of story

[@sandinathan2732]

@marc cawood my thoughts exactly, if OP screamed for Reeva to call the police , then y was she silent and not alert him that she was in the toilet..

[@jonathandeller]

check out 1:25 - Roux asks a police office with 30 years experience whether security gates or fencing actually prevent crime in South Africa - what a dangerous country it must be to live in.

[@thehappystack]

It says so much that there's a big hoo-ha from the defence about an extremely expensive watch, when in the adjoining bathroom there's the blood and brain matter of a woman who was killed by the owner of that watch. I understand the importance of the preservation of the scene, but for the most part the extremely important aspects of the crime scene were preserved. Unfortunately theft occurs in every police force, but it should not affect the outcome of a murder trial. If they want to deal with theft later, do so. It's a bit sickening they'd bring it up like Pistorius is a victim when the family of the woman who was killed by him has to listen to it, like it's equally important someone stole his expensive watch as it is to have killed a person they loved.

[@neandertalheroo]

This interpreter is haunting me in my dreams now!!

[@paulawhitlock2035]

If he's afraid of burglars, why does he leave eight expensive watches out in the open?

[@Jono98806]

Trust me, a fear of burglars in South Africa is more about a fear of being murdered in your own home by the intruder than it is about anything being stolen.

[@12thando34]

Jono98806 its hard ouchea

[@kathrynmcmorrow7170]

Jono98806 Then prison could be the safer place!

[@Tessietots]

oh my gosh... I cannot believe the amount of incompetency shown by the Police Force.. Robbery and................... handling the gun without gloves!!! How can they continue a fair trial, if this is being done!!! Shocking and Fair Play to the witness for his professionalism while on stand.... it couldn't have been easy.

[@adambennison3160]

Why did he carry on the Charade of needing an interpreter when he speaks English as well as I do and better than he speaks Afrikaans?

[@informationtheory4297]

I assumed at first that he was probably more comfortable speaking Afrikaans, but, on second thought, I wonder if the witness was actually making a political statement about the equal standing of English and Afrikaans in South Afrivan courts. Probably not, but who knows ?

[@Tessietots]

And what about OP leaving to go upstairs alone? when the doctor and Mr stander were with the body? They were concerned about his state of mind? etc... what did OP actually do upstairs? anyone know?

[@Mary-NY]

He was probably hiding his watches!

[@Mary-NY]

"08.05 Van Rensburg is spending a lot of time discussing the collection of expensive watches in a cabinet in the case of Pistorius's bedroom. Photos show blood dripping from the case top. Yesterday, Pistorius's pitbull lawyer Barry Roux claimed in his cross examination of Lt Col JG Vermeulen that some of these were stolen."

[@Tessietots]

mrip75 I recall that.. but I think at the time OP went upstairs alone was before the Police got there. When Mr Vermeulen went up later, they were there. It has to be something else? Open the window? to colaborate his story? eg.. I don't know. They seem to have forgotten he went up there alone..

[@blblblblblblblblbl11]

so what he went there alone.. he already confessed killing her..... nothing much he need to hide as there is only one thing to be proved for premediteted murder- a motive and its in his head

[@HaveYouHeardMe]

Ah HA! *NO FORCED ENTRY* to the window..... written: 3/15/14 (1:02 pm) NO forced entry to the window definitely says a LOT. So if there was NO forced entry then WHO opened the window? The witness JUST testified that he checked and there was absolutely NO WAY that ANYONE could have gotten through the window on the 2nd floor and that he saw NO forced entry through the window. This is MY take on things..... I believe that Oscar had Reeva at GUN POINT (before) Reeva even got NEAR the window but then Reeva RAN to the window and OPENED it and began SCREAMING for help because Oscar had her at GUN POINT. I also believe that Oscar MIMICKED Reeva's screams AS he had her at GUN POINT, thus trying to make it SEEM like they were BOTH in distress. THEN after the screaming, Oscar *FORCED* Reeva to go into the restroom so that he could KILL her as PLANNED and carry out his burglar alibi.

[@HaveYouHeardMe]

This is SO MESMERIZING! *The alleged MISSING watch.....* written 3/15/14 (8:33 am) So, as it TURNS out, the box of watches have smeared BLOOD on the lid of it *AND* there are even droplets of blood ON the watches themselves. So Oscar HAD to be tampering with his watches at some point. Then, the Colonel testifies that Oscar's SISTER came and removed the watch and requested to take it with her but then someone else, somehow took another watch..... So we HAVE to find the missing watch. What do *YOU* think happened to the watch. I say that it is EASY to put the watch in the buttocks area and HIDE it there. How THOROUGH was the SEARCH when the everyone was searching for the watch? I know my suggestion is VULGAR but when people want something BAD ENOUGH, they know how to HIDE stuff. We have LEARNED this: Finger prints were taken and NONE of the Forensic team took the watch. Yet, and still, a missing WATCH does NOT get Oscar off of the MURDER HOOK!

[@MonsterTVchannel]

And what is up with all the crappy interpreters?

[@niayastorytelling]

That translator's accent is raw and all (as u people say) but she's the most accurate...bear in mind that its not just a direct translation of a few words from Afrk to Eng, she's narrating a sequence of events. I'm sure if there was someone 'better' they know of, they were gonna use that person.

[@jaguarundi21]

I find it humerus that the lawyer corrects the translator with the Afrikaans to English translation.

[@karenmoynihan1879]

I need a translator for the translator! she's horrible! He spoke english yesterday, did he forget overnight!

[@theexplosionist2019]

I feel I understand the raw Afrikaans better than the "English" translation. lol

[@marianoxx2884]

Aw Oscar so proving you're guilty you stole your own wrist watch just to make it look like a robbery.

[@marcnlindarivera4565]

oh noooooo that interpreter is back, i thought they had changed her for good.

[@esterveldman4983]

lol did you also hear the "wind bucks" yesterday,i suppose they are a little bit better than the one at madiba's funeral......please can some one tell them plakkies means slip on sandals ...lol...wena"s

[@susannemuller2094]

i still believe he thought it was an intruder...

[@MonsterTVchannel]

Omg what the he'll is wrong with the state? And indeed the police? Defence is going to tear this case apart

[@torosalvajebcn]

How come a pólice offer in a country where English is an oficial language does not speak English?

[@informationtheory4297]

First of all, Afrikaans is also an official language in South Africa. Second, the witness does speak English.

[@marianoxx2884]

Because they're believe they're superior. Its pity when you find them in high position you ll will approach them and speak English then they reply with Afrikaans. They can't move on.

[@AAMedia91]

defence lawyer said 1st statement was made 16th Feb 2014.. nobody picked up it was 2013

[@picadilly24016]

here is my theory: Oscar wanted more than a present that night and he was refused. He knew she had seen her past boyfriend and he figured she was going to leave him. The Mom had said that here had been arguments before. Oscar is guilty for murder. This trial is something else.

[@jaguarundi21]

I think the translator is a native Portuguese speaker, given her accent. Kind of hard to understand.

[@stephb2263]

I can't see the gun shots in the door?????

[@Mary-NY]

Here is a link to show the bullet holes in the door, scroll down and you can see entry holes, I believe 4 of them. They are low on the door under the door handle. Scroll through the link, there are many pics of the door. www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2578951/Oscar-Pistorius-trial-reconstructs-moment-broke-door-cricket-bat.html

[@paulawhitlock2035]

The prosecution is just laying the track of the way the scene was found. I have no doubt he will introduce the details of the scene i.e. clothing, cellphones, blood spatters, and bullet hole trajectory.

[@moscowmdingi8044]

This case turns to be a Movie lol myb in 10 years to come they will make it as seasons like prison break. season 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,.......................

[@donkeyshot8472]

the only person that was not checked whether he was in possession of the watch was...officer van rensburg? could that be the case?

[@muzoman1000]

This morning 17th March and here we go again. Prosecution and defence teams both Afrikaans speaking. OP's mother tongue is also Afrikaans and I would venture to say that the majority of the witnesses for either side will be Afrikaans. I have an issue with the translators used. It is absolutely abysmal. Three used so far. In a number of cases the witnesses themselves decided to testify in English and basically dispensing with the services of the translators. I suspect that the judge does not understand Afrikaans or may have a limited understanding of this language. But being a show trial for the whole world to see English would have had to be the language of choice. Has the language capabilities of the Afriikaans speaking public degraded so much since the 'rainbow' nation was formed? Are there no professional translators in the new SA? This is another fiasco not too dissimilar to the 'sign language' interpreter used during Nelson Mandela's funeral. And one has to wonder why SA is not moving forward. Major business worldwide requires a reasonable knowledge of English. Mind you, SA cops were never the brightest on the planet and yet the 'bat' guy attended international courses. How the hell did his tutors understand him and more so how did he understand what was being taught? If I was the 'defence' advocate I would be having a field day but then again being Afrikaans he most probably does not have language skills to interpret the answers given. Justice should prevail and I hope it does but this hearing would have been better off if it was held in the mother tongue of both councils and the witness majority, ie Afrikaans. But then again it would not make for good 'reality' tv etc. I left SA in 1991 but I will still run rings around any of the interpreters even though I am not a South African. Yes, I am fortunate in that I have linguistic skills but listening to the female interpreter this morning makes me cringe. Non-Afrikaans speakers must be battling to understand what she is saying. I know where her dialect stems from [Cape coloured]. Short staccatos like a gattliing gun, mispronounced words and meanings etc. Bullets for cartridges etc. Come South Africans, you know you can do better!

[@bere32]

Is that a fever blister that Roux has?

[@randydee024]

My toilet does not have a window either... my washroom* does (*aka restroom or bathroom)

[@marknic79]

WOW Your looking dashing today my lady!

[@RandomPerson-cl4fr]

why would he bast the door and try to save her if he intended to kill her?...l believe it was a genuine mistake l hope the judge sees through all this bs and he gets acquitted.... he may be trigger happy.... definitely not a murderer

[@candykittens5611]

Why hasn't the prosecution asked about the curtains in the living room? The policeman said when he arrived the curtains were drawn. Isn't this is an important part of the investigation?

[@rjmadcat]

It could be somewhat, but Oscar did say that he went after he shot her outside to shout for help, where they can argue he then opened the curtains etc. Myself I doubt I would be opening both curtains neatly when rushing for help, I would just go through the door without opening the curtains, but that is me and just my opinion.

[@candykittens5611]

Those curtains looked too perfectly drawn to me. And why no blood? That is why I think the prosecution have made a bit of an error. If he did draw the curtains after the shooting surly there would be some traces of blood?

[@rjmadcat]

Candy Kittens I agree with the curtains perfectly drawn, but if he shot her through the closed door and then ran to open the curtains, there should not be any blood on them, blood would not be able to get on him in this matter, only after the shouting for help and then smashing the door down would blood be present. at least that's my opinion

[@candykittens5611]

Ruan van Harmelen Thanks for clearing that up. Didn't realize he drew them afterwards. Still sounds a bit iffy to me though.

[@kathrynmcmorrow7170]

Candy Kittens WELL THAT"S BECAUSE IT IIIIIIISSSS.

[@tomanol8]

dont know which is worse..the translator lady or witnesses tie

[@Nessie42]

OP should be made to look at those photographs of Reeva. Every time a nasty photo comes up he buries his head.

[@rjmadcat]

Please for god sake, PLEASE get rid of these friking translators. a 4 year old could do a better job. They twist the words of how THEY( the translator) understands it, and not translate what the person is saying. Do they even have qualifications to be there, or is this another one of those Mandela funeral "translators" edit- swear words edited out

[@kenford2234]

I heard she was the cheapest, cuts an all that...

[@petrasmiles1029]

I do not want to sound ignorant, but can you please explain me whether people in South Africa speak mosty native English ? I always thought so, but now I am very confused. The defence attorney, the judge they all speak very simple English! The witness speaks better English than the translator.. Is it the case that older people speak Africaans as their native language and English as the second language, but younger people the other way around?

[@informationtheory4297]

According to the latest Census , only 9.8 % of the South African population speaks English as a home language. About 13.5 % speak Afrikaans (which is actually a simplified form of Dutch), and all the rest actually speak African languages like Zulu, Xhosa, etc. School students ("pupils") are taught mostly in their home language up to Grade 3. From Grade 4 onwards, teaching at school is mostly in English, but a minority of students (about 10 to 12 %) learn in Afrikaans. The Grade 12 school-leaving exams, which are required for anyone who wants to go to university, can be taken in English or in Afrikaans, depending on the student's choice. In the universities, instruction is almost exclusively in English, but there are still 2 or 3 national universities where it is possible to take classes in Afrikaans. Generally speaking then, only a minority of South Africans are native speakers of English, but people who graduated from High School and also have a university degree most likely are bilingual in English and their native language. Pretoria in particular (the city itself, not the broader Tshwane metro area) is still somewhat of a white Afrikaner enclave and close to 50 % of local residents there are Afrikaans-speaking.

[@petrasmiles1029]

Thank you very much for this detailed explanation, I was not aware of that. Very interesting.

[@johndoegone4ever]

I'm kinda of lost as to why this guy keeps switching from English to what I presume is his native tongue. Clearly he does not need someone to translate for him.

[@marcbatters5148]

How can they have a translator that needs help with English herself!?!?!

[@HaveYouHeardMe]

GLASSES Oscar? Give Me a BREAK! Oscar wore glasses to seek SYMPATHY from the viewers... Don't FALL for that TRICK! Okay so NOW is Oscar trying the Jodi Arias deal with the GLASSES and all? The glasses are supposed to subdue people's anger towards him. Most people are NOT as HOSTILE or mean spirited OR critical as much with people who wear glasses. Can't hit a person with GLASSES on. Remember that slogan. Can't hit Oscar with a Crime Verdict while he's wearing glasses. He may as well GET READY to TAKE THEM off because they will definitely NOT help him. The Lord also said that Oscar wore the glasses to keep people from looking DIRECTLY into his eyes. The EYES are the window to the soul and can tell a LOT about what's in a person's heart and Oscar's heart is VERY defiled said the Lord. He did it. He Killed Reeva on purpose. Also, look at 3:00 and 3:03. LOOK at how ANGRY and ARROGANT Osar looks. He looks as though he is READY to KILL AGAIN! I guess Oscar felt that the GLASSES would HIDE his EMOTIONS but so much for THAT!

[@nikunjmajithis3302]

Should be jailed (clap clap clap clap clap) should be jailed (clap clap clap clap clap) should be jailed (clap clap clap clap clap)

[@nikunjmajithis3302]

put him in jail

[@analove9453]

u still dont leave a door.in.your office ..really ur the only person in that office how does anyone know ...this is why we have CSI so they can take it and.process it professionally. ..which wjat most of these officials lack...professionalism so crazy how u can.send.someone to.jail in SA with this kind of forensics you can.imgaine how.many innocent people as we speak.are.in.jail with these.fools playing games

[@kenford2234]

Agreed! Its a good job OP isn't one of them.

[@kathrynmcmorrow7170]

I'll wager Roux eats better than I do.

[@ahbab83]

Interpreter has a terrible accent

[@donkeyshot8472]

is it possible that a state prosecutor is so illiterate that he doesn`t know the term "inventory"? just wondering...

[@Tessietots]

I think the problem here is that they are Afrikaans speakers. English is not their first language. Hence the mistake.

[@donkeyshot8472]

Theresa Coss with all due respect, yes maybe, but isn`t mr nel an...academic? surely this isn`t his first trial in english? and it`s not like "inventory" isn`t an everyday word! after all, mr nel didn`t confuse pusillanimous with pustulated, now did he? :-)

[@Tessietots]

don key shot LOL... Agreed!

[@informationtheory4297]

don key shot Even people who are functionally bilingual occasionally make mistakes in spontaneous speech when they are speaking in their second language. That is normal and it doesn't mean the person doesn't now English.

[@jaguarundi21]

Who are the other bored looking men behind e prosecutor?

[@Doggdbn]

Barry Roux bruuuu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jaguarundi21]

That photographer is HOT!!!

[@debanderson4591]

This interpreter sucks...he spoke English yesterday??

[@Tessietots]

This translator... so bad. her use of the English language.. her accent.. pronunciation.......... what a laugh,... for such a high profile case. surely they could have chosen a better one.. it reminds me of Mandela's Memorial.. the debacle with the signer!

[@stephenbrooke5860]

Unbelievable! I actually think I am making more sense deciphering the Afrikaans of the witness than the English of the translator. And I don't know a word of Afrikaans! This is absurd. It is as though they are trying to give as many people some court/tv time as they can. Yesterday's translator was excellent. Why could they not keep him on?

[@theexplosionist2019]

He was making all the other translators look bad so they fired him.

[@MultiChristo10]

Stephen Brooke Yesterday's translator translated incorrectly. I speak both languages and today's translator at least translated correctly (mostly). The real translators are white. Make your own deductions why they use these translators...

[@theexplosionist2019]

Positive discrimination?

[@Sparrowdean]

MultiChristo10 The judge said they had a team of translators and wasn't the woman who translated for Ms Burger white? She wasn't very good either, judging by Ms Burger correcting her in English, so what's your explanation for that?