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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

09.52 It's getting pretty heated in the court, as defence counsel Roux goes over and over the same parts of Miss Burger's testimony:

At last - objection by Nel to "sarcastic" statement by Roux in response to witness. Justice Masipa agrees, comment withdrawn.

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Roux stating that she will not make even an obvious (undeniable) consession if she thinks it will benefit OP.

eg it makes no sense at all that OP was shouting for help BEFORE the shots... yet she is sticking to that... will not make even a concession that that makes no sense.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

09.56 Roux says "it would be no sense for a man who is about to kill girlfriend to shout for help." We remember from yesterday's testimony that Miss Burger said she heard a woman scream followed by a man screaming for help.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

It is clear to me that she awoke heraring OP screaming then also calling help.... what she thinks were bullet shots were bangs on door with cricket bat. The shots were before she woke up... shots may well have been what woke her up, but as she awakened she heard OP screaming.

She has jumped to conclusions beyond what she actually heard and overlaid her own interpretation on what she heard... which is WRONG!!

She is too stubborn and wilful to concede anything.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

10.17 Defence says "last scream" was Pistorius after he realised he had shot Reeva.

10.09 One of Pistorius' relatives has just handed him a tissue

10.06 If every one of the 107 witnesses gets the same thorough treatment as Miss Burger we will be here for a long time.

10.01 Judge Masipa tells Roux: "I really think you have exhausted this" after spirited interjection from prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Cross finished.... now redirect by prosecution

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

OMG.... now waterworks.....

This is what Mary Cuthcher would have been like if she had a few brains and got a degree.... equally as wilful and convinced of her own notions even when they are at odds with reality!! Delusional.



This is NOT true????
The water works was caused by Nel questioning her

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

NEXT witness.... again has requested no photos


Another Afrikaans translation fiasco

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

10.52 Court has now adjourned for an hour-long lunch break. We'll have a quick look over what has come out in court this morning.

10.38 Van Der Merwe, who lived one or two houses down from Pistorius, says she heard someone crying loudly after shots. She seems much more nervious and timid than than previous witness.

10.35 The witness tells the court she heard four sounds but that she did not know how to describe them. "It sounded like 'bang, bang'... that's the best I can do," she says.

10.26 The next witness is called. It is Estelle Van Der Merwe, another neighbour of Mr Pistorius. We have a new interpreter, although she is harder to understand than the last one.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

11.46 The South African papers have been a little more measured on their front pages than some of the British and US papers this morning.

11.28 Professor Stephen Tuson from talks about what weight the judge should be given to the forensic evidence. He says the concentration will be on blood, ballestics, not angry outbursts or any evidence Pistorius looked at internet porn that night:

11.05 Aislinn Laing in court says Aimee and Carl Pistorius share a long hug as the family lines up to walk out of court.

11.00 Some of the key points:

* When questioning Miss Burger, Roux suggests that the voice she heard could well have Pistorius shouting for help. He questioned whether she could differentiate between male and female screams

* Roux says it was unlikely that Reeva during the shots due to the brain injury she would have sustained

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Court back... OP MIA... arrives a few minutes late and apologises to Judge

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Nel one more question... now Roux on Cross...

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

12.21 It seems as though Roux is done cross-examining the second witness. Gave her considerably less of a grilling than the first yesterday and this morning:

Vd Merwe is much more willing than the prev one to say she doesn't know & can't remember. Is getting more gentle treatment by Roux in return

12.14 Roux says Oscar's bathroom and bedroom are on opposite side of house to Van der Merwe, but she says "I was terribly frightened (when I heard the shots). I sat up in bed. It was a long time ago and I can't remember any more."

12.06 Roux says she did not hear any argument, the witness quietly says: "yes, I did".

12.02 Van Der Merwe says she cannot say whether there was silence before the shots. She seems much less certain about that night and far less confident in herself than the other neighbour giving evidence. Our correspondent in court agrees.

Van der Merwe came across as timid, confused when questioned by state prosecutor. Roux cross examining her now - let's see what happens
— Erin Conway-Smith (@ejcs) March 4, 2014

12.01 Pistorius was late back in, apologised to the judge, who smiled and said it was OK.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Next witness.... also no photos of him.... Mr Johnson

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Turns out to be Michelle Burgers Hubby? Different surname?

Agrees to speak in English... which he does PERFECTLY WELL... just like his wife!!!

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

12.23 A third witness has just been called. Judge reiterates ruling no photographic identification of him can be made, after the first was pictured in newspaper. Charl Johnson is the husband of Michelle Burger, and near neighbour of Pistorius. He works as an IT project manager at an investment company. He has asked to speak in English rather than through Afrikaans translator.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Judge has had to ask him to speak louder several times... very soft voice... still hard to hear.

I did imagine that anybody married to Michelle Burger would be be testicularly challenged

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Carbon copy of his wifes WRONG assumptions. I have no doubt that they both heard "screams" and cries for help.... no doubt they could deduce stress and emotion etc.. but the facts of the case are that it must have been OP's anguished cries which to them sounded like a woman. They have crossed over from giving evidence of what the actually heard to giving their assumptions and conclusions. And clearly they discussed and and aligned their stories.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light