Blade Runner becomes Blade Gunner **Mod Warning Read OP""

Micky Dolenz

My name is URL wrote: »

Is it odd that Police are saying so early on in the investigation that there have been previous domestic abuse claims against Pistorious? Especially considering he has never been convicted or charged with such a thing...

Just seems a bit off to me... could easily prejudice any subsequent court case.

Yeah, I found that odd too. RTE reported that he was arrested and questioned in '06 for slamming a door on a women in his home. Charges were dropped at the time, he would have been around 20.

I wonder did that info come from the police or other sources.

MadsL

seamus wrote: »

That's a great point that I hadn't even considered. I imagine an amputee would feel especially vulnerable in the presence of a (possible) intruder.

The one thing this incident does provide is yet another example of why allowing people to arm themselves for protection against intruders is a monumentally idiotic idea.

I'd counter that not having a gun in country with as high a crime rate as South Africa would be more idiotic. What do you expect the police response time is there?

opinion guy

Yeah I thought that was odd too.

Some more details near the bottom end of this Guardian article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/14/oscar-pistorius-murder-girlfriends-shooting

MadsL

In November last year, a newspaper claimed Pistorius "threatened to break the legs" of the friend of a man whom he believed had slept with his then girlfriend. The police became involved before the dispute was eventually resolved.

Pretty ironic, a person missing their legs threatening to break someone's legs.

Rascasse

MadsL wrote: »

I'd counter that not having a gun in country with as high a crime rate as South Africa would be more idiotic. What do you expect the police response time is there?

Police response would be patchy, but everyone with any money has armed response. Time from panic button or alarm being tripped to them arriving could be measured in seconds. I lived in Joburg (Rivonia) and our armed response guys reckoned they could get anywhere within their patch within 90 secs/2 mins max . They are tooled up like a swat team and are all ex-military or police.

You also have to remember that for a bad guy to get to your house he has to get past the 24hrs complex security first. We had 10+ ft high walls topped with electric fencing, dog patrols and a gate house that everyone had to go through. His complex is for the mega rich so I'd imagine they have even more security, maybe even dedicated armed patrols.

Far more likely to be hijacked stopped in traffic or robbed if you live outside a complex. Even then, if they see you with a gun you better shoot them all before they can shoot you.

Regarding the press coverage, get used to it. The SA media is awful for speculation and trial by media. The Dewani guy is a perfect example, read some of the articles about him (and the comments below, something that isn't allowed here while a case is sub judice).

My name is URL

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Yeah, I found that odd too. RTE reported that he was arrested and questioned in '06 for slamming a door on a women in his home. Charges were dropped at the time, he would have been around 20.

I wonder did that info come from the police or other sources.

Whoever it came from originally; it's odd that the Police were so willing to confirm it just hours after the incident while refusing to comment on other aspects of the case.

It could be a pretty good defense for him. Point out in court that the media and public have had their opinions and judgements unfairly colored from the get-go and other (perhaps more important) circumstantial evidence can be easily ignored.

Can't help but drift off into the realms of conspiracy theory with stories like this one! Whole thing reminds me a lot of the O.J. Simpson fiasco.. certain media outfits and commentators leaped into different bunkers as soon as that story broke, and remained there despite new evidence during the trial etc.

MadsL

Rascasse wrote: »

Police response would be patchy, but everyone with any money has armed response. Time from panic button or alarm being tripped to them arriving could be measured in seconds. I lived in Joburg (Rivonia) and our armed response guys reckoned they could get anywhere within their patch within 90 secs/2 mins max . They are tooled up like a swat team and are all ex-military or police.

You also have to remember that for a bad guy to get to your house he has to get past the 24hrs complex security first. We had 10+ ft high walls topped with electric fencing, dog patrols and a gate house that everyone had to go through. His complex is for the mega rich so I'd imagine they have even more security, maybe even dedicated armed patrols.

Far more likely to be hijacked stopped in traffic or robbed if you live outside a complex. Even then, if they see you with a gun you better shoot them all before they can shoot you.

Regarding the press coverage, get used to it. The SA media is awful for speculation and trial by media. The Dewani guy is a perfect example, read some of the articles about him (and the comments below, something that isn't allowed here while a case is sub judice).

All the same I would certainly keep a gun in the house if I lived there, as many South Africans do, that's my point.

mickey1979

Not an expert on the Law but thought the police woman who gave the interview outside of the house was very prejudicial I actually came on here to see if anyone else had the same idea. I don't think I have ever heard the guards go even near where she went in such a short space of time. Surely possible jurors if a case were to happen would be influenced by her interview.

ArmaniJeanss

mickey1979 wrote: »

Not an expert on the Law but thought the police woman who gave the interview outside of the house was very prejudicial I actually came on here to see if anyone else had the same idea. I don't think I have ever heard the guards go even near where she went in such a short space of time. Surely possible jurors if a case were to happen would be influenced by her interview.

Its a different legal system to UK/Ire. We have strict sub judice, they don't, so in their case a breach of (what we consider) sub judice can't really be used as a defence.

FWIW I prefer the UK/Ire system whereby the tv/media can comment on basically nothing, only report the boring details of how the case is progressing.

Rascasse

MadsL wrote: »

All the same I would certainly keep a gun in the house if I lived there, as many South Africans do, that's my point.

My point is that for someone like Pistorius there is little point owning guns for self defense as the threat at home is so remote that the gun is useless. You say that many South Africans keep guns but they are very much in the minority. Of my circle of friends only one had one. Owning a gun in SA for self defense is a great way to get yourself shot, t should you actually try to defend yourself with it.

I should also add that SA isn't as dangerous as people make out. Most of the murders happen in the townships. In 3 years the only time I came into contact with guns in a worrying way was a few times 'Black taxi' drivers waving them at me on the motorway as a warning to get out their way. That was during the taxi wars, though.

Back to Pistorius; it will be interesting to see if he gets bail tomorrow. If he doesn't (and I suspect he won't) I fear for his safety, though I imagine they'll have to keep him separate from the regular population.

P_1

A few friends of mine from SA have always considered him to be a 'bit of a prick'.

Now I'm not sure if that was genuine begrudgery on their part or if he isn't a particularly pleasant gentleman

strandroad

I think it will be relatively easy to investigate.

In such a secure complex if his GF came in unexpectedly, it will be on CCTV and on the record. Ballistics will show who was where when the gun was fired.

wadacrack

P_1 wrote: »

A few friends of mine from SA have always considered him to be a 'bit of a prick'.

Now I'm not sure if that was genuine begrudgery on their part or if he isn't a particularly pleasant gentleman

have they meet him ? the fame has probably gone to his head.Seems to have a split personality nice guy to the cameras but different person from his public persona

Eden3

IMO the "Guardian" article points very much to him being a little obsessed with guns .... and also I think after the first bullet he would have been alert enough to realise it was a white female he had shot "once", not a black intruder, without any accomplices ...!

paddy147

Paul Oakenfolds/Perfecto Allstars song..."Bullet in the Gun".... keeps on playing in my mind at the moment,for some strange reason.

Classic dance anthem.:D

Also David Guetta.....Titanium/Bulletproof.

Also Stallone in "Bullet to the Head".

paddy147

According to Sky News earlier this evening the whole "I misstook her for a burglar" excuse has now been dropped/withdrawn by Oscar Pritorius

paddy147

Eden3 wrote: »

IMO the "Guardian" article points very much to him being a little obsessed with guns .... and also I think after the first bullet he would have been alert enough to realise it was a white female he had shot "once", not a black intruder, without any accomplices ...!

So theres no such thing as a WHITE Intruder in South Africa then??.:pac:

Scruffles

wadacrack wrote: »

have they meet him ? the fame has probably gone to his head.Seems to have a split personality nice guy to the cameras but different person from his public persona

whether any one of us;or our relatives/mates had met him isnt a way to judge a persons behavior/personality/attitude,everyone views others differently and humans typicaly judge on first impressions-some people can appear any number of negative traits; for example snobby/arrogant,thinking theyre better than everyone else yet someone else is completely unable to see that.

and sometimes its like people expect celebrities to be on top form mentaly,every day- never having a stressful or bad day and if any refuse to sign autographs or stop and have a chat with someone they dont know the person will forever slag them off to whoever they can.

am not a fan of any human in general but am personaly hoping pistorious didnt do this deliberately because he has made physicaly disabled sport much more popular; he has given disabled people;especialy people with physical impairment like amputees the confidence to aim for competition again,and it will be awful if we have another armstrong situation on our hands.

Duggys Housemate

paddy147 wrote: »

According to Sky News earlier this evening the whole "I misstook her for a burglar" excuse has now been dropped/withdrawn by Oscar Pritorius

He never made the claim. It was a news report.

paddy147

Question here...


If he couldnt sleep and was anxious and worried about being burgled..could he have been any sort of medication/tablets to relax him,and could that have caused any side effects and made him mentaly unbalanced and pull the gun on her???

Ruudi_Mentari

Reads mod note, withdraws.

dreamers75

paddy147 wrote: »

Question here...


If he couldnt sleep and was anxious and worried about being burgled..could he have been any sort of medication/tablets to relax him,and could that have caused any side effects and made him mentaly unbalanced and pull the gun on her???

or they were arguing and he shot her.

MadsL

Rascasse wrote: »

My point is that for someone like Pistorius there is little point owning guns for self defense as the threat at home is so remote that the gun is useless. You say that many South Africans keep guns but they are very much in the minority. Of my circle of friends only one had one. Owning a gun in SA for self defense is a great way to get yourself shot, t should you actually try to defend yourself with it.

I should also add that SA isn't as dangerous as people make out. Most of the murders happen in the townships. In 3 years the only time I came into contact with guns in a worrying way was a few times 'Black taxi' drivers waving them at me on the motorway as a warning to get out their way. That was during the taxi wars, though.

Back to Pistorius; it will be interesting to see if he gets bail tomorrow. If he doesn't (and I suspect he won't) I fear for his safety, though I imagine they'll have to keep him separate from the regular population.

Yep, as someone who used to go out walking on Long St in Cape Town at midnight, I was met with incredulity by most SAs.

I'd still keep one if I lived there though.

Eden3

paddy147 wrote: »

So theres no such thing as a WHITE Intruder in South Africa then??.:pac:

Not often ... a fact!

my friend

my friend wrote: »

Oscar revealed his dark side to us in London, jealousy, anger and short temper were on display.

I am not surprised by his actions.

There is a big difference in having a bitch about a competitor and actually going as far as killing someone now in fairness. There is many strong-headed people who wouldn't dare think of resorting to using a gun.

Innocent until proven guilty i say.

Tobyglen

frag420 wrote: »

South African police have released an image of a weapon similar to the one used by pistorius...

http://m.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2009/01/02/pagesix/photos_galleries/G2063_photo37.jpg

Why does he get an infraction when the mods have basically done the exact same thing regards thread title and other jokes? This place is ridiculously hypocritical.

Felexicon

Roses are Red
Violets are glorious
Don't sneek up on
Oscar Pistorius

feargale

IamtheWalrus wrote: »

Is all this sympathy because he is white?

How do you know most of the posters here aint black?

Mr. Rager

P_1 wrote: »

A few friends of mine from SA have always considered him to be a 'bit of a prick'.

Now I'm not sure if that was genuine begrudgery on their part or if he isn't a particularly pleasant gentleman

Yeah, it makes sense now

phoenix999

And talking about bad timing, NIKE's new advertising campaign featuring Pistorius under the slogan 'I am the bullet in the chamber':

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278820/Oscar-Pistorius-adverts-billboards-taken-hes-charged-girlfriends-murder.html