Oscar Pistorius Sentenced

[Stephen]

He got five years + an extra suspended three years for a fire arm contravention.

Should be out for Christmas then.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/peopl ... 07382.html

[Delboy]

I read the Steenkamp family are happy with the sentence, even although some reports say he could be out within 10 months.

[Onelife]

The sentence dished out by the SA judicial system is a complete and utter joke.

What really gets under my skin is how Pistorious keeps referring to 'god' in every sentance he spouts....Well Pistorious, if there is a 'heaven' and 'hell' then should be a very worried man.

Until such time that Reeva gets justice l hope his conscious haunts him for the rest of his life.

[Stephen]

Good to see you Keith and on form

[Dancing Queen]

The sentence dished out by the SA judicial system is a complete and utter joke.

What really gets under my skin is how Pistorious keeps referring to 'god' in every sentance he spouts....Well Pistorious, if there is a 'heaven' and 'hell' then should be a very worried man.

Until such time that Reeva gets justice l hope his conscious haunts him for the rest of his life.

I think so too Keefy.

Derek, I can't understand how Reeva's family can be happy with the sentence, even if he was to serve the full sentence which he won't 5 years for denying them their daughter, the grandchildren they may have had and many more family events they would all have enjoyed together 5 years seems totally ridiculous, all I can say is they must be very forgiving people to have said this, I don't think I could be so forgiving.

[oldbluefox]

The Steenkamp family have acted with great decorum throughout the whole process.

[Delboy]

The sentence dished out by the SA judicial system is a complete and utter joke.

What really gets under my skin is how Pistorious keeps referring to 'god' in every sentance he spouts....Well Pistorious, if there is a 'heaven' and 'hell' then should be a very worried man.

Until such time that Reeva gets justice l hope his conscious haunts him for the rest of his life.

I think so too Keefy.

Derek, I can't understand how Reeva's family can be happy with the sentence, even if he was to serve the full sentence which he won't 5 years for denying them their daughter, the grandchildren they may have had and many more family events they would all have enjoyed together 5 years seems totally ridiculous, all I can say is they must be very forgiving people to have said this, I don't think I could be so forgiving.

Jo
I agree, I have since seen Reeva's mother being interviewed as she left court, which showed her actually saying what I posted earlier, even although it was pointed out to her, he may only serve 10 months in prison. The rest of his sentence I understand would be under house arrest at home.

I know I would not have been forgiving if it was my daughter.

[Dancing Queen]

Yes I saw that too Derek she seemed very reserved.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I don't think the sentence is the problem, more the verdict. It's pretty much the equivalent on manslaughter in this country for which you might also get 5 years, halved for good behaviour and potentially halved again and let out on licence.

What I don't get is how it wasn't murder. Okay if he genuinely didn't know it was his girlfriend in the bathroom perhaps he didn't plan to kill her specifically. But he did believe someone was in there and fired multiple gunshots through the door. He certainly intended to kill someone.

[Quizzical Bob]

I don't think the sentence is the problem, more the verdict. It's pretty much the equivalent on manslaughter in this country for which you might also get 5 years, halved for good behaviour and potentially halved again and let out on licence.

What I don't get is how it wasn't murder. Okay if he genuinely didn't know it was his girlfriend in the bathroom perhaps he didn't plan to kill her specifically. But he did believe someone was in there and fired multiple gunshots through the door. He certainly intended to kill someone.

I think it's a question of malice aforethought: did he plan it or was it 'spur of the moment'?

[Mervyn and Trish]

I don't think the sentence is the problem, more the verdict. It's pretty much the equivalent on manslaughter in this country for which you might also get 5 years, halved for good behaviour and potentially halved again and let out on licence.

What I don't get is how it wasn't murder. Okay if he genuinely didn't know it was his girlfriend in the bathroom perhaps he didn't plan to kill her specifically. But he did believe someone was in there and fired multiple gunshots through the door. He certainly intended to kill someone.

I think it's a question of malice aforethought: did he plan it or was it 'spur of the moment'?

I struggle to see how waking up, picking up your gun, going to the bathroom and firing multiple shots through the door can be 'spur of the moment'. For me, waking up, finding someone in the room with a weapon, possibly threatening you, and firing in blind panic would be 'spur of the moment'.

[Boris+]

I'm not going to get all knotted up in a tangle over whether the sentence and/or verdict was right; but I am wondering in the light of some of the comments whether something got lost in translation.

I suspect that the judge speaks more than one language, and the same would go for Mnr Pistorius and Mnr Nel - however, there's nothing quite like your own personal first language no matter how fluent you are in other languages; and therefore when these essential players in this complete and utter tragedy make a comment maybe this aspect of 'something lost in translation' is important?

No matter how important that is though, it won't bring back the victim, and it won't help Mnr Pistorius.

Em