OMG!

I just saw this on the CNN scroll.
I'm glad I didn't watch, how disappointing.

The good news is....

WHATEVER the penalty for murder turns out to be..

it is a million times better than a LIFE sentence with June Steenkamp as a Mother-in-law

The old crow cracks a smile...

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

The Prosecution (!) can appeal and get a conviction after the trial? That is insane! I will never go to South Africa either.

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I am disappointed in this ruling based on the facts of the case. We will see what the new sentence will be. From what I have read many point to 15 years however in the first article I read this morning it made a point that it may be less.

Here is what it said:

A 15-year prison sentence is the minimum punishment for murder in South Africa. However, the law allows for a lesser sentence to be imposed in exceptional circumstances.

Pistorius was placed under house arrest in October after serving one year in prison. He had been sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter and got out early in line with corrections department regulations. The trial court can also consider whether he should be shown leniency because he is disabled and is a first-time offender.

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Here is the link to the article:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/12/03 ... tcmp=hpbt4

So we will just have to wait and see what the sentence will be.

I am curious if there are any other steps that the defense can take to further appeal or was this one court it?

I think that the court will invoke the "exceptional circumstances" clause. Unless that has a very specific circumstance such as the person is dying and for all circumstances an invalid.

This is a conviction by pitchfork.


The conviction can be appealed.

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If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Pistorius to apply for bail in South African court on Tuesday
By Tiisetso Motsoeneng | REUTERS | Mon Dec 7, 2015 9:22am EST

JOHANNESBURG - Disgraced Olympic and Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius will appear in court on Tuesday to apply for bail following his conviction for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, the justice department said.

"The bail application hearing for Oscar Pistorius has been set down for tomorrow at 9.30 am (0730 GMT) at the Pretoria High Court," the department said on Monday.

The future date for Pistorius' sentencing will also be announced on Tuesday, the department said. Pistorius, known as "Blade Runner" because of the carbon fibre prosthetic blades he used to race, faces a minimum 15-year jail sentence.

More at link: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-safrica-pistorius-idUSKBN0TQ1EO20151207#Mbd0wStEcgLfFrIV.97

Process following hearing explained
Video: http://www.enca.com/media/video/pistorius-appear-briefly-court

2:30AM EST, Tuesday, December 8
Watch LIVE: [tba] http://www.enca.com/south-africa

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

What a vindictive bastard Nel is... give him a pound of flesh and he wants another...and another... and another...

Nel Has (reluctantly agreed to bail) (10,000 Rand) but wants OP to not be allowed to leave house... house arrest and ankle monitor... does not like the stipulation that OP can leave house in morning (with ankle monitor still tracking him)

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

Nel worried about OP fleeing.... I REALLY hope OP does get the hell out of South Africa... what an asshole of a place .. filled with assholes like Nel

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

Court adjourned for 15minutes.. while Judge makes up his mind. He sounds like a REASONABLE man.. not impressed by Nel.. so he has good sense. I wonder if he might have been a better Judge for the trial? Maybe he is of "lower status" and deals with bail matters etc.. and not Murder trials?

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

#OscarPistorius will approach Constitutional Court to appeal murder conviction

#OscarPistorius will return to court on April 18, 2016 it seems to update court on Constitutional Court appeal.

SABC News understands that sentencing arguments will be heard in April 2016 #sabcnews

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

Alex Crawford@lexCrawfordSky
#OscarPistorius Nel also letting it be known he'll be pushing for minimum of fifteen years when sentencing takes place

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

Bail granted. OP can leave house between 7 -12 each day. Outside those hours OP can apply for permission.

That is NOT what Nel was banging on about..Nel wanted him to be permanently at house.. no blanket permission to leave 7 -12......so good news is Nel will be pissed

Restricted to 20km radius of house.

OP has to surrender passport.

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

Yes, very good news.

Glad to see the date of April for update on appeal application. They were talking about it could be late January. Pending that outcome, looks like the date for sentencing will be late 2016.


Oscar Pistorius reacts after he was granted bail as he leaves the North Gauteng High
Court in Pretoria (Photo: Reuters)

Oscar looks happy............





Nel and his inquisitors (On twitter and at True Gossip Forums) are pissed ....




A GOOD result all 'round

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

My opinion

Nel letting on that he is going to ask for the minimum sentence is a good bit of news here. I suspect Nel is hoping that the public and the judge will say "Now look how reasonable this Nel chap is after accusing Oscar of hunting down his terrified girlfriend he is now content to call it a simple murder, a mistaken use of deadly force rather than a barbaric slaughter" and settle for 15 years. This doesn't fly with me and shouldn't fly with any person looking at the evidence of the case and the vitriol that has been espoused by Nel over the last 2 years.

Nel has a bit of a problem as the court has painted itself into a corner. The court was negligent in its first ruling (per first appeal) the court will throw anyone under the bus not to look bad, I don't care what country the court is in. The court already threw the first judge under the bus, if Nel thinks the court is going to make itself look worse by waging a battle against one of the countries golden families Nel is going to be in for a rude awakening. Oscar is a sympathetic figure whether Nel wants to face that fact or not.

I suspect Oscar is going to get time served citing extenuating circumstances and the courts own error,Oscar will remain free contingent on good behavior for the next 13 years, probation, restrictions on his free movement and community service.

Why would Nel who has shown nothing but a sadistic streak toward Oscar suddenly say "Lets just be dandy about this and give Oscar the minimum sentence."

Something curious is afoot and Nel is well aware of it.

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If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Carm.. I didnt see where Nel said he'd "settle for the minimum"... quite the opposite.. as i recall Nel said Oscar had to GET a minimum of 15 years.. Nel wants Oscar sentenced to MORE than 15 years clearly. Nel is still pushing the daft notion that although the crime is one thing.. its is NEARLY a worse crime... it was the argument he tried when it was ruled "culpable homicide".. Nel's daft position then was that it was almost murder.

A small but important point that struck me with the appeal ruling as it was read out. They are STILL mentioning the "black talon" ammo as a factor. That meme that this somehow is a worse crime because OP happened to have his gun loaded with any particular ammo? As if he had the opportunity to select and reload, depending on each situation, and in the this case the CORRECT ammo was used.... as recommended by every gun expert I have heard from any country... hollow point type ammo that will likely STOP a target in a "self defense" situation.. and ammo that is in fact SAFER to use since it lessens the chance of bullets passing straight through a target and then on to hit bystanders.

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

HI Rumpole I got it from this, granted I was tired and am now (no tea yet ) This means Nel is asking for the minimum, no?

I'll do some reading today

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If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji

Nel is an evil little shit... the morons on twitter and at True Gossip Forums are nasty people too.

Oscar did a REALLY stupid thing that resulted in a tragedy. That can not be reversed. Reeva of course suffered from that .. she is dead, but Oscar also suffered, and continues to suffer the effects of that.

Intellectually I don't see how this can be any more than some variation on "manslaughter" in fact in my mind it is a tragic accident.

The purpose of having a Trial is to try and establish the FACTS of the case. Nel is determined to subvert that. He sees a trial as a battle ground to argue a version that he has... a version that he must KNOW is not true. He knows for instance that the crime scene investigation was flawed to say the least. Stuff was moved, people did come and go early on but are now being erased from the witness list. Watches were stolen. Ear witnesses are clearly promoting their MISTAKEN interpretations rather than just reporting the facts. etc etc. It was a shonky "prosecution" all round. But even so.. out of all the nonsense a clear timeline and sequence of events emerges confirming Oscars basic version (the truth). As far as he was concerned he was firing at a bad man hiding in the toilet.. of that I have no doubt. I can easily see how "vulnerable" he might feel... especially on his stumps. He is VERY VULNERABLE in that state... when it comes to any sort of physical confrontation. And... this is friggin South Africa ..where people generally(able-bodied people) are genuinely IN FEAR of home invasion, murder, rape... it happens there for real often enough for most people to have it on their minds. Many people sleep with loaded guns at hand.. to shoot intruders... guns loaded with (recommended) hollow-point ammo.

After all that... justice requires the facts be aired.. and penalty applied as appropriate. That was done. It was fair.. a little harsh on Oscar IMO.

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

All of that I agree with Rumpole. The first judgement was sound. Nel is down the vengeful rabbit hole IMO has no mind for justice. I find it revealing that Nel is asking for the minimum if that is indeed true. I believe Nel has gone after Oscar with malice, but I'm not a court in SA.

I've been reading about Trump, terrorism, and other various rings so I haven't reveled any deeper into Oscar's case. I do believe that he will not get even the minimum sentence.


We will see.

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If your mind is agitated you will find agitation everywhere. Where else will you find peace if not within you? __ Papaji