Oscar Pistorius 'thought he was firing at intruder'

[Blue_Tires]

Source: BBC

South African athletics star Oscar Pistorius has denied murdering his girlfriend, and said he thought he was firing at an intruder when he shot her at his home.

He told a bail hearing that he loved her and never intended to kill her.

Prosecutors accuse him of premeditated murder. They told the Pretoria court that Mr Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp dead by firing through a bathroom door.

The hearing came as the victim's family held a funeral for her....

..."It was pitch-dark in the bedroom," it added. "I did not have my prosthetic legs on and felt extremely vulnerable."

According to the statement, the defendant thought Ms Steenkamp was still in bed, and he fired through the bathroom door believing he was shooting at an intruder.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21503370

---

wow...His "official" story is even flimsier than Robert Blake's...

EDIT: Another recap of the day's hearing -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/feb/19/oscar-pistorius-bail-hearing-live-coverage

[Myrina]

1. Before or after he bludgeoned her with a cricket bat?

http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/18/reports-bloody-cricket-bat-found-in-oscar-pistorius-bedroom/related/

[JoeBlowToo]

3. He thought he had put her out of commission with the bat so...

it's logical that he thought the person in the bathroom was an intruder.

[BainsBane]

23. the autopsy hasn't been released yet

The source is unnamed, and it's possible that information isn't accurate. If there is blood on the bat, his statements in court today were supremely stupid. His defense doesn't make any sense of there is blood on the bat from hitting her. If it can be shown--Dexter style--that the blood was transferred from the bathroom floor, for example, then his statements in court would make sense as part of a logical defense.

[monmouth3]

2. This is sickening, much like Zimmerman's flimsy excuse for murder. These are not mistakes, they

murder. Clean up the vocabulary all you want but murder is murder.

[Are_grits_groceries]

4. They concocted a neat story that tied up as many loose end as they could.

I still think that there are more factors that they can't explain.

[Blue_Tires]

15. I'm still wondering if there was a love triangle and another man comes forward....

this just seems like the act of an extremely jealous boyfriend....

[BainsBane]

24. there are stories about an ex-boyfriend

a pro-Rugby player. There is speculation she might have gotten a text on Valentine's day.

[riverwalker]

5. what about her crushed skull?

and the bullet in the bedroom?

[muriel_volestrangler]

20. Neither featured in the prosecution's case

so I think those were mistakes made by people who weren't familiar with the evidence, eager to leak something to reporters.

[Orrex]

6. He shot her four times through the bathroom door in pitch darkness?

He missed his calling; instead of a sprinter he should have been a target shooter.

[AtheistCrusader]

7. Doesn't pass the smell test.

[Berlin Expat]

10. I agree.

<img src="">

[AtheistCrusader]

11. The Cricket bat is sort of telling.

Shot her four times, AND whacked her with a cricket bat?

Either we aren't getting the whole story, or this stinks, bigtime.

[Berlin Expat]

13. Cases like this

are why I'd probably make a lousy judge.

If the defense attorney stated this when I'm sitting on the bench, I'd reply, "Seriously?! That's your defense? Your client just started blasting through the bathroom door without ascertaining who's actually in the bathroom? Is your client a complete dumbass or something? What kind of numbnuts does something like that?", etc., etc.

I know myself, and I know I don't have the patience or temperament required to sit in judgment of another human being. I'm trying to improve that, but of course, it takes time. With my naturally phlegmatic constitution combined with an acerbic sense of humor and an unwillingness to suffer fools, let's just say I'm no King Solomon.

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. No mention of the cricket bat by the prosecutor

so he may not have hit her with it at all.

[AllyCat]

8. Why would you shoot through the bathroom door, knowing your SO was asleep

in bed and you might hit her?

[BainsBane]

25. seems to me ever if he is telling the truth

his behavior is criminal.

[bluemarkers]

9. swiss cheese defense

a lot of holes in his story, if he's on steroids now, he will have fun in jail coming off them... heh

I wish the best for both families as they go through this very public trial. Only family could believe his story, they may actually have a more difficult time with things. Her family will need to be strong, it appears they have the facts and public opinion on their side.


Rest in Peace Reeva

[catbyte]

12. Wow. Lamer than OJ

[onehandle]

14. Another Stand Your Ground Hero. If this was the U.S., the NRA would be taking up a collection. nt

[geek tragedy]

16. No, his victim had lighter skin than he does, ergo NRA would not support him nt

[sir pball]

28. There's no state in the Union where this would be acceptable

No matter how fast and loose the laws may be (or may be perceived to be), there's no jurisdiction where reasonable fear would involve not identifying the person you supposedly fear and I doubt any sane defense attorney would even take the case.

[noiretextatique]

17. hmmm...you live with someone

but you were convinced there was intruder in the bathroom, not the person you live with. so, you get a gun and start shooting before confirming that the person in the bathroom is not the person you live with. i don't buy it.

[csziggy]

18. History of domestic violence, pause between first and final shots

Makes an accidental shooting implausible.

Oscar Pistorius charged with murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
by: Staff writers
From: News Limited Network
February 15, 2013 11:38AM

And The Sun is reporting neighbours of the London Olympian have described hearing three gunshots, 10 minutes of silence, then three more shots in the early hours of the morning.

"There were three gunshots and a woman's screams. Almost ten minutes later there were three more shots," the wife of a neighbour who rushed to the scene reportedly said.

<SNIP>

Police have played down reports that Pistorius shot dead Steenkamp thinking she was an intruder, saying they had dealt with domestic incidents at his residence and will oppose bail.

Police said there had "previously been incidents at the home of Mr Oscar Pistorius".

More: http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/oscar-pistorius-shot-killed-girlfriend-reports/story-e6freon6-1226578161509

Other sources report that at least one casing was found in the bedroom. Speculation is that while in the bedroom Pistorius shot Steenkamp in the hip, she ran into the bathroom to take shelter, he shot at her through the bathroom door, hitting her in the head through her hand and in her body. The head wound sounds as though it was the fatal one.

According to info on a crime forum South Africa does not use a jury system and judges determine guilt or innocence and assign punishment. I wonder how much influence Pistorius' family has in SA?

[BainsBane]

26. You're citing a Murdock tabloid

The Sun, via another newspaper.

[Samjm]

27. This is correct

There are no juries in the South African legal system.

[obamanut2012]

19. He called his friends and family, not the EMTs

THEY called the EMTs after they arrived. He also disturbed the scene.

His "official" story is even worse than what first came out. As someone said, flimsier than Robert Blake's story. Foresnics will destroy it.

[Comrade Grumpy]

22. Well, that's about the only defense he could mount. We'll see.

In any event, he has certainly fucked up his life, and ended that of his girlfriend.

[smirkymonkey]

29. Apparently forensics are trying to prove by the pattern of shots through the bathroom door that

he must have had his prosthetic legs on when he shot through the door, therefore had time to think and act before he did it. This is looking worse and worse for him.