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Breaking - Pistorius found guilty of murder


farawaysaint
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But the sentence will be decided by the original judge who seems strangely sympathetic, so she could consider there to e exceptional circumstances and reduce it.

 

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This seems strange. Having c*cked up once they give her the chance to do it again?

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This seems strange. Having c*cked up once they give her the chance to do it again?

Agreed, but apparently the alternative would be to try the whole case again with a new judge. The argument is that she has heard the evidence so she decides the sentence now it's been ruled that he was guilty of murder.

 

Would assume that there is an appeal process if she hands down too lenient (or too long) a term.

 

Don't know why the decision to change the verdict to murder couldn't be accompanied by a changed sentence too.

 

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Agreed, but apparently the alternative would be to try the whole case again with a new judge. The argument is that she has heard the evidence so she decides the sentence now it's been ruled that he was guilty of murder.

 

Would assume that there is an appeal process if she hands down too lenient (or too long) a term.

 

Don't know why the decision to change the verdict to murder couldn't be accompanied by a changed sentence too.

 

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That was my thinking too. For a senior judge she made a very large error in her handling of the case and if I was running their judicial system I wouldn't have a great deal of confidence in her sentencing. Still, the main thing is that the right verdict has finally been reached and he as got no get outs now. He is a convicted murderer.

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That was my thinking too. For a senior judge she made a very large error in her handling of the case and if I was running their judicial system I wouldn't have a great deal of confidence in her sentencing. Still, the main thing is that the right verdict has finally been reached and he as got no get outs now. He is a convicted murderer.

 

The Supreme Court of Appeals didn't so much consider it an error as they disagreed with her on the application of the law (a ruling which will now be binding on all high courts as SCA rulings bind all lesser courts). The two major points of contention were the principle of "dolus eventualis" (a form of intent in South African Law where the accused foresees the possibility of an unlawful result due to his conduct, but nonetheless persists in such conduct, reconciling himself or herself to the result in question) and Oscar's right to defend himself.

 

The SCA found that a noise behind a door did not present a clear and present danger to his life and hence self defence could not apply and dolus eventualis applied regardless of whether Reeva or a robber was behind the door. The judge's initial ruling agreed with Oscar that he did not know who was behind the door and she therefore deemed he had not reconciled him to the consequences of his actions (killing Reeva). The SCA argued that he had reconciled himself to the possibility of killing someone and therefore the identity of the individual did not matter.

 

The SCA further stated that their ruling in no way undermined their opinion of the legal capability of the judge and I suspect the verdict has been given to her largely to underscore this point.

Edited by farawaysaint
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  • 7 years later...
6 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Getting let out in January, nearly spat my tea out when the radio said this all happened nearly 11 years ago. Could have sworn it was about 5.

Me too.

He should have been given a life sentence. Apparently as part of his parole conditions he has to have anger management counselling. Presumable that is to try and help prevent him emptying  a gun through a locked door into his next girlfriend.

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11 hours ago, whelk said:

Never understand sentencing. 8 years for this cunt who randomly break into home  and rapes and chokes whoever is there. Fucked that poor woman’s life up permanently I’m sure.

https://news.sky.com/story/aberdeen-rapist-kyle-allan-jailed-after-subjecting-woman-to-night-of-terror-13014934

8 years seems far too short, considering he'll be out in 4.

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