Jings - property must be a lot cheaper in SA than it is over here, I think that's cheap.

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Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

Yes wroughead... as the saying goes... "Location, location, location"

I imagine that prices are even cheaper for a villa on the outskirts of Kabul

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

I watched a compilation of this week's courtroom shinannigans which just finished ten minutes ago.

Lawyers were interviewed to give their summing up of what has gone on, they say it is looking like the weight of evidence (according to them) is on the side of the State. They also added that this week's defence witnesses didn't add much to the support of OP.

Hmmmm. now there's a thing, because what I have been hearing is that the whole of SA seems to think this was a deliberate crime. I'm still holding that it was far from deliberate, I think it was an accident driven by fear and panic.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

Monday here in NZ.... trial gets underway in SA at 7:30 PM my time

So.... "Tea Break" is over... back to posting about the trial .....

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

Nel is being thick?


He can not grasp that Reeva does NOT have to be stationary (sitting) when the shots hit her... she may well have been still in motion... on her way down.... she could then have ended up sitting on the floor and NOT the magazine rack.

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

Where the hell is Nel going with this?

Surely he's not suggesting that Reeva was sufficiently mobile after the hip shot to voluntary sit down?

She would have been falling wherever she ended up.

Hi Steve

I really think that Nel is stuck on each shot being fired at a body in a fixed position... he has seemed that to think that way throughout. I hope the Judge understands that after the first shot the subsequent shots were almost certainly hitting Reeva in MOTION as she fell.. not necessarily when her body came to rest.. whatever "version" is considered.

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

I don't see where any of this is going?

Details can never be known beyond doubt... and I dont see how they effect the critical question... did OP KNOW Reeva was in the toilet.

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

Hi,

I hope she's grasped it - I was under the impression this was already accepted by both sides some time ago

Nel has some front to claim that OP's the one tailoring things to suit his version.

State's version: Reeva and OP argued, but maybe they didn't. OP was on his stumps, but maybe he wasn't. OP fired gunshots first, but maybe he didn't. Reeva was falling when she was shot, but maybe she wasn't.

Speculation is reaching record levels in this trial.

next up a shrink.

I am always a bit nervous about "psychobable" offered in court... god knows there is enough of it already at True Gossip Forums

So far though I am impressed with this lady. Clearly OP is (in layman's terms) a bit paranoid.. and there are clearl circumstances in his live history that have caused that... perhaps beyond any "norm". So long as this is seen as context for the way OP might have viewed the situation on the night it could be very good evidence... but to go beyond that goes too far IMO.

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

My wifi connection is awful. I have men working st my house so am confined to one room with my dog at the moment.

very frustrating.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

Hi Wroughead...

The one night I had trying to follow trial on iphone was miserable... you have my sympathy

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

I think Nel needs a shrink?

He has gone nuts. He has an hour adjournment to consider issues around getting OP evaluated as "insane" (diminished responsibility at the time of the event)

Nel misses the point!!!

The Generalised Anxiety Disorder DOES bolster the defence "version" of what transpired... that is it!!!!

It explains why OP was more likely to think there was an intuder. It explains why he opted for "fight" over "flight"... it is great circumstantial evidence for the defence version. NOBODY is suggesting that OP acted in an "insane" way.

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

She can't be much of a psychiatrist... she is convinced that OP's distress, depression etc are genuine... the posters at True Gossip forums know better ... they say it's all an act

I wonder if Nel has thought this through? Does he want OP to be declared nuts at the time of the incident and so not liable to be prosecuted?

Nel will lose his True Gossip Fan Club Groupies the way he is going

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

I've temporarily moved back upstairs to watch, comment. It seems (guy doing my kitchen told me) I need to buy a wifi booster when downstairs - so that's what I'll do next week.

Meantime, back at the ranch.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

A lot of people think it is an act. I don't, but what I don't like to see is the continuous head in hands when evidence is getting underway.

I think after a year, and his privately going through what happened that night, and what he saw should be well and truly
bearable by now - so I think that's a bit of an act. Me personally, OP stop with the head in the hands scenario.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

Nel "claims" he thought the break was until 1:30... so he is LATE

He was the one who asked for break until 1:15!!

Any excuse to waste time.

He seems to have just DROPPED the loony bin stuff.... I guess he just wanted a break and a smoke?

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

Nope... Nel is still at it.... claiming the Court MUST have OP evaluated.

Roux objects .... point out that there is an "AND" in the law.... the person has to have mental disorder AND not understand "wrongfulness"... knowing right from wrong.

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

Now we have a bit of levity in the court room.

Now we have Nel saying OP is having or has had mental problems which have made him a danger to the public, and would have affected his ability to know right from wrong - yikes.

No wonder the Judge is asking Nel all these questions.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

We are now looking at further delays in a trial that should have taken no more than 2 weeks, because Nel wants a further review/examination of OP's mental State. Now, this is a year on from the offence, so how on earth can this be accurate, as it does not show his mental capacity before and during the event, for the crime which he is on trial for.

So this witness will have to come back - remember too Roux told the judge the defence would be done by Tuesday (yeah in your dreams)

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov