Pistorius trial

[smalex]

I have no idea either, but actually maybe they don't want him to be found guilty? Maybe they prefer to think of it all a tragic accident, more than their bright, beautiful daughter being scared and backed into a corner and brutally murdered. Who knows.

[Lily]

She took her phone into the loo with her? Did this actually happen?

I can understand him shooting like mad not wanting the other person to die just - shooting like mad without thinking.

[Skips]

Count 1 - found guilty of culpable homicide (manslaughter)!

Count 2 - not guilty

Count 3 - Guilty of contravention of section 123B

Count 4 - Not guilty

Just waiting for the sentencing, but people are coming into the office so I will have to tune out.

[Arrietty]

The sentencing won't take place today, apparently.

[Skips]

Ah, I had people come up to my desk at the wrong moment so I didn't know that.

[Arrietty]

Blast those inconvenient people! :lol:

[Lily]

He can't be let off with a fine or a suspended sentence, surely.

I'm still trying to find out if she took her phone into the loo, which would make it pretty clear she felt in danger.

[la Fée Verte]

I'm still trying to find out if she took her phone into the loo, which would make it pretty clear she felt in danger.

I'm staying in a hotel at the mo and took my phone in when I went to the loo in the night — I'm not familiar enough with the room to go in the dark and I'm not turning the light on in the middle of the night, so I used the torch on it.

[Zoomer]

Yeah, I often take my phone to the loo with me too. For lighting and feckingaroundon purposes.

[Lily]

Oh - I just thought she'd either go in the dark or turn the light on. I assumed she'd taken it to ring for help. Just as well I'm not on this jury!

[H1ppychick]

...it's not a jury...

[Dáire]

I'm still trying to find out if she took her phone into the loo, which would make it pretty clear she felt in danger.

I'm pretty sure it's common for people to take their phones to the loo these days. Ask any mother with a small child how often her partner's in there for.

[Skips]

I don't take my phone if it's somewhere I know (which I would assume she would of his flat) but I don't think her taking it would show anything anyway; it would be speculation unless she had made a call and it was on her phone records.

[Lily]

... does it matter, the point made is the same...

I'm not even going to go into people taking phones into the loo; you'd think somewhere was sacred! But anyway it appears would show nothing and yes speculation helps nobody.

[smalex]

So its 5 yrs. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29700457" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tabitha]

Wow.

The prosecution had called for a minimum 10-year sentence; the defence for community service and house arrest.

Seems a fair compromise I guess.

[Lily]

I'm very glad he went to jail.

[Florin]

I think I'm glad he's been given a prison sentence, although it is really hard to know what to think and it does just seem like a bit of a compromise in the end

[smalex]

I'm quite often someone who thinks that crimes can (sometimes) be their own punishment, ie. what would be the point of criminalising the McCanns for leaving their children unsupervised, when what has happened to them is worse than any punishment that could be handed down. I sort of felt a bit like this about Pistorius for a while, that he was a hero, a superstar, a wealthy and loved man, he had a glittering career, he'd go down in history, his career was still in its ascendancy, and when it was over he'd retire and live a fabulous life as an ambassador and international icon, and then in a split second he wrecked it all, utterly. Whether on purpose as a murder or in a reckless moment of ill-judgement, and that even if he wasn't jailed he'd be a totally, completely, broken man. Maybe all that is still true, I don't know. But recently I read something about how he might have a new girlfiend already and he was in training, and I don't know. It changed something in my mind really. I'm not sure 5yrs is enough. Presumably he'll be eligible for parole in a couple of years.

[Slanket]

My sky news alert thingie has just popped up and said he will be expected to serve just 10 months behind bars before he is placed under house arrest. What? Why? Seems ludicrous to me.