The last time a high profile athlete was accused of murder, we all suffered.

[goldsmith]

As a Southern Californian who survived Camp OJ, Solicitor Robert Kardashian and now "The Kardashians", I hope the South Africans do the same. What is up with this guy Pistorius, 'roid rage??

 

Just my thoughts.

[anotherjohnindupont]

I'm amazed about how fast his penal (criminal) trial is going, the trial already started.

 

I wonder if in South Africa they have Anglo-Saxon Law or Roman-Germanic codex or a mix of it? It's hard to tell by what we see on TV.

 

Athletes, and other "heroes" do getaway with rape constantly (Kobe Bryant, Colorado A. U. Football, Air Force Academy twice, Tailhook scandal, Military Sexual Trauma, etc) but getting away with murder it's harder, specially if there's no jury fascinated by the defendant.

 

Mike Tyson (guilty), and O. Simpson (acquitted first, guilty 15 years later) are exceptions.

[Guest]

Really? I thought Kobe Bryant's accuser was full of shit. A good example of how rape-shield laws create a potential to put innocent men behind bars.

[Nvr2Thick]

Mike Tyson (guilty), and O. Simpson (acquitted first, guilty 15 years later) are exceptions.

 

Mike Tyson was guilty of having a very foolish high-profile defense team, a dishonest accuser and prosecution team, and a legal system that chose to stack the deck. There are some fascinating details that came to light long after his conviction. His accuser, for example, was discovered to have perjured herself by stating that she did not have a media deal in the works for her story. It was later discovered that she did have a major deal on the table. Jurors assigned to the case were interviewed and said that this testimony was pivotal and that knowledge that she had a deal (or certainly that she lied) would have affected the verdict. The prosecution and local judicial team aggressively engineered an offense to project themselves from an OJ-type defense. The end result was a miscarriage of justice.

[anotherjohnindupont]

Only 2% of rape accusations are fake.

 

Full of shit? She was a normal college girl.

 

I guess the jurors can't accept that now a days daddy's little girl has sex on the 2nd date.

[biguy]

It's a shame what has happened with Oscar Pistorius...whether or not he is guilty. (and he probably is.) He was such a star for some of us who are disabled and we still feel that he represented us with honor and fire. I, myself, lost part of my lower leg as a young adult and I have adapted well - some around me, not so well, and I just find it easier and less stressful to hire than go to clubs and bars. I have accumulated a outstanding few escorts who I see routinely and who are extremely understanding, accommodating, and truly fun to be with. There's one who, I think, is really turned on and into the situation. LOL. When I saw Oscar do his thing, I was certainly less subconscious about wearing shorts in the summer and I have finally decided I simply don't care whether or not I freak someone out when they see my artifical leg! That's what Oscar has done for me and I wish him as best as he can get.

[bomerrang]

Well I am suffering. Anyone else listen to his court testimony in Pretoria today? Does he have any tears left in his ducts?

He is either terribly nuts, or a terribly bad actor.

I can't wait for the prosecution to start asking questions.

[Diverdan]

Hey biguy... thanks for sharing. I have a niece with an artifical leg below the knee, as a result of a terrible motorcycle accident the night before she was to leave for college. For many years, she only wore pants to cover up her artifical leg. But over time, she realized that was not her anymore, and she now proudly wears dresses, looks fantastic in a swim suit and takes her artifical leg off to go swimming, etc. for all the world to see when she is at the pool or the beach. Her husband and two kids are so supportive of her, and that makes it even better. I am so proud of her and I am proud of you for not caring about what someone else thinks about your artifical leg. Perhaps all of our "wounded warriers" have contributed to that acceptance, and certainly Oscar Pistorius has been a role model for so many people with various disabilities and artificial limbs. Only he really knows whether or not he is guilty, but I hope that will not take away from what he has done for folks with artificial limbs.

DD

[MrMiniver]

Mike Tyson was guilty of having a very foolish high-profile defense team, a dishonest accuser and prosecution team, and a legal system that chose to stack the deck. There are some fascinating details that came to light long after his conviction. His accuser, for example, was discovered to have perjured herself by stating that she did not have a media deal in the works for her story. It was later discovered that she did have a major deal on the table. Jurors assigned to the case were interviewed and said that this testimony was pivotal and that knowledge that she had a deal (or certainly that she lied) would have affected the verdict. The prosecution and local judicial team aggressively engineered an offense to project themselves from an OJ-type defense. The end result was a miscarriage of justice.

 

Talk about revisionism. Mike Tyson raped that girl. Period. He should still be in prison. Sad, that we put rapists away for a only a few years and drug offenses carry 20 years prison sentences.

 

Oscar Pistorius is so obviously guilty. His explanation doesn't pass the laugh test. What kind of intruder would lock themselves in the bathroom? His crying jag on the stand made me sick. Thank god, there's no jury. Let's just hope the judge doesn't fall for his acting.

[MrMiniver]

It's a shame what has happened with Oscar Pistorius...whether or not he is guilty. (and he probably is.) He was such a star for some of us who are disabled and we still feel that he represented us with honor and fire. I, myself, lost part of my lower leg as a young adult and I have adapted well - some around me, not so well, and I just find it easier and less stressful to hire than go to clubs and bars. I have accumulated a outstanding few escorts who I see routinely and who are extremely understanding, accommodating, and truly fun to be with. There's one who, I think, is really turned on and into the situation. LOL. When I saw Oscar do his thing, I was certainly less subconscious about wearing shorts in the summer and I have finally decided I simply don't care whether or not I freak someone out when they see my artifical leg! That's what Oscar has done for me and I wish him as best as he can get.

 

Thanks for sharing your inspiring story. I do, however, think that Pistorius was never honorable in the same way that Lance Armstrong was never honorable. Underneath all the inspiration, lurked two really messed up evil men. I'm a cancer survivor and I knew from day one that Armstrong's story wasn't real. You don't achieve that after cancer without help from drugs. Everyone told me I was crazy. Well, we know how that turned out. Pistorius is the same. He was very creepy and disturbing right from the get go and quite arrogrant. That's all coming out now that he's on trial. Sometimes we think these kinds of people are heroic and wonderful but it's just masking their real personalities. But if his situation was able to inspire you then at least ONE good thing has come out of it all ....

[+ quoththeraven]

Originally posted by MrMiniver

Talk about revisionism. Mike tyson raped that girl. Period. He should still be in prison. Sad, that we put rapists away for a only a few years and drug offenses carry 20 years prison sentences.

 

Originally posted by MrMiniver

Thanks for sharing your inspiring story. I do, however, think that pistorius was never honorable in the same way that lance armstrong was never honorable. Underneath all the inspiration, lurked two really messed up evil men. I'm a cancer survivor and i knew from day one that armstrong's story wasn't real. You don't achieve that after cancer without help from drugs. Everyone told me i was crazy. Well, we know how that turned out. Pistorius is the same.... Sometimes we think these kinds of people are heroic and wonderful but it's just masking their real personalities. But if his situation was able to inspire you then at least one good thing has come out of it all ....

 

+1 (quotes edited b/c I haven't been following Pistorius' trial)

 

[bigvalboy]

Well I am suffering. Anyone else listen to his court testimony in Pretoria today? Does he have any tears left in his ducts?

He is either terribly nuts, or a terribly bad actor.

I can't wait for the prosecution to start asking questions.

 

Well I've been following the trial very closely. I have yet to decide if the tears were real. Real or not, it was compeling and it was played well, and I found myself questioning his guilt during his testimony, which means the defense was doing their job. Everyone was locked into him, including her family. That being said, there are holes in his story, and as you say, it will be very interesting to see how the prosecution goes after him. My guess is that they won't give him the stage to display that kind of emotion.

 

The judge is tough, and wants to see remorse....will it be enough?

[+ FreshFluff]

Really? I thought Kobe Bryant's accuser was full of shit. A good example of how rape-shield laws create a potential to put innocent men behind bars.

 

But I'd wager that more guilty men got away with raping women before rape shield laws than innocent men are being put behind bars now.

[Newly]

Let him who is without sin....funny how so many of us know someone is guilty; wrong; and so on without being there.Think of the money wasted on trials. It would be so much easier to just condemn them because we "know" they're guilty. I'm sure none of these men are without fault, but I hope that if I'm ever being judged I won't have so many people who have already prejudged me deciding my fate. Sounds like the type of crowd Putin depends on.

[+ Funguy]

Let him who is without sin....funny how so many of us know someone is guilty; wrong; and so on without being there.Think of the money wasted on trials. It would be so much easier to just condemn them because we "know" they're guilty. I'm sure none of these men are without fault, but I hope that if I'm ever being judged I won't have so many people who have already prejudged me deciding my fate. Sounds like the type of crowd Putin depends on.

 

+1

[MrMiniver]

Well I've been following the trial very closely. I have yet to decide if the tears were real. Real or not, it was compeling and it was played well, and I found myself questioning his guilt during his testimony, which means the defense was doing their job. Everyone was locked into him, including her family. That being said, there are holes in his story, and as you say, it will be very interesting to see how the prosecution goes after him. My guess is that they won't give him the stage to display that kind of emotion.

 

The judge is tough, and wants to see remorse....will it be enough?

 

I don't think he showed one bit of remorse. It was all ME ME ME ME ME ME. He's very self-absorbed and narcissistic.

[MrMiniver]

Let him who is without sin....funny how so many of us know someone is guilty; wrong; and so on without being there.Think of the money wasted on trials. It would be so much easier to just condemn them because we "know" they're guilty. I'm sure none of these men are without fault, but I hope that if I'm ever being judged I won't have so many people who have already prejudged me deciding my fate. Sounds like the type of crowd Putin depends on.

 

 

Huh? Pre-judge? Pre-judge would mean judging him before the evidence was in. The evidence is in. He's obviously guilty. Facts are facts, even when inconvenient.

[bigvalboy]

I don't think he showed one bit of remorse. It was all ME ME ME ME ME ME. He's very self-absorbed and narcissistic.

 

LOL...Well yes that part is true, he's a bit self absorbed, and narcissistic, no argument there, but you didn't believe any of the tears and the throwing up? It was believable to me. I'm not sure you could fake that over several days of testimony, and yesterday under cross, while I am not a lawyer, I thought he held his own. Now to be clear, I still believe he killed her in a fit a rage. So far I have not been convinced otherwise. I can't swallow the story of an intruder, but that doesn't mean he is not remorseful. I think the moment after it happened, he was devastated, and had tremendous guilt.

 

He did say something yesterday that I thought was telling. In the midst of the tears he said, "I'm fighting for my life here," which made me realize that he is very aware of how people are reacting to him, and how people perceive him. We shall see soon enough!!

[MrMiniver]

LOL...Well yes that part is true, he's a bit self absorbed, and narcissistic, no argument there, but you didn't believe any of the tears and the throwing up? It was believable to me. I'm not sure you could fake that over several days of testimony, and yesterday under cross, while I am not a lawyer, I thought he held his own. Now to be clear, I still believe he killed her in a fit a rage. So far I have not been convinced otherwise. I can't swallow the story of an intruder, but that doesn't mean he is not remorseful. I think the moment after it happened, he was devastated, and had tremendous guilt.

 

He did say something yesterday that I thought was telling. In the midst of the tears he said, "I'm fighting for my life here," which made me realize that he is very aware of how people are reacting to him, and how people perceive him. We shall see soon enough!!

 

No, I didn't believe it. He's been acting his whole life. His whole life is one big performance. Sorry, if that sounds cynical. I think he's sorry, sorry he got caught and didn't instantly get away with it. Same like OJ.

 

The other reason I don't believe it is the feeling I got which was confirmed by something the prosecutor said today ... and I'm paraphrasing ... "in all those months you couldn't have reached out to Reeva's family, written them, called them ... instead you saved it all up for your performance in court?"

 

Exactly. If one is truly sorry and wants to express some form of remorse or regret or anything you do it in private with the people you've harmed. You don't wait to you're on trial and then make a big public show of crying and throwing up. I just think it's a big put on. It's like public figures who issue apologies to people and then have they're press people make the letter to the family public.

 

This is an attempt to sway public opinion, not a sincere expression of any kind of remorse.

[bigvalboy]

The other reason I don't believe it is the feeling I got which was confirmed by something the prosecutor said today ... and I'm paraphrasing ... "in all those months you couldn't have reached out to Reeva's family, written them, called them ... instead you saved it all up for your performance in court?"

 

Exactly. If one is truly sorry and wants to express some form of remorse or regret or anything you do it in private with the people you've harmed. You don't wait to you're on trial and then make a big public show of crying and throwing up. I just think it's a big put on. It's like public figures who issue apologies to people and then have they're press people make the letter to the family public.

 

Well on that you are certainly correct. I saw that also, and I did have a problem with that. He mentioned that his lawyers told him not to contact her family, but I think a letter of some kind reaching out to them early on should have been done.

 

I must say that I am still convinced that he is remorseful. If it is all for show, he is doing one helluva job, and I think that the defense has played this well so far.

 

I am fascinated by the case, partly because since there isn't a jury, his life is in the hands of the judge. So he is appealing only to her at this point, well also I think there is an attempt to sway her parents, hoping that they would show some sympathy, but thus far it has fallen on deaf ears....We shall see.

[MrMiniver]

Well on that you are certainly correct. I saw that also, and I did have a problem with that. He mentioned that his lawyers told him not to contact her family, but I think a letter of some kind reaching out to them early on should have been done.

 

I must say that I am still convinced that he is remorseful. If it is all for show, he is doing one helluva job, and I think that the defense has played this well so far.

 

I am fascinated by the case, partly because since there isn't a jury, his life is in the hands of the judge. So he is appealing only to her at this point, well also I think there is an attempt to sway her parents, hoping that they would show some sympathy, but thus far it has fallen on deaf ears....We shall see.

 

The problem is that the defense has to put on this kind of "show" because all of the evidences goes against what they've said. So all they have left is this big public show of emotion which is exactly why I think he's doing it. This is one smart cookie. A colleague of mine on staff who works with a lot of handicapped people said that she had never seen such an arrogant narcissistic handicapped person like him in her life. I had never thought of that before. He really thinks a lot of himself.

 

Until I closed my classes to anyone who wasn't majoring in the field, I would get a lot of these "star athlete" types fresh from high/prep school and I was always intrigued by how full of themselves they were thinking they could get away with any antics they pulled. I'd always say to them "this isn't high school anymore, it's the real world. Sit down."

 

I don't think Pistorius realizes that yet. If it were a jury, I'd think this was playing really well but because it's a judge system I'm not so sure. One of the things that made me really conclude that it's a big act is something you alluded to which was that on cross-examination, he manages to pull it together and answer the questions in a fairly methodical "iceman" sort of way. That tells me that he's a sociopath who can switch it on or off.

 

And while this has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with his guilt or the trial (but speaks to him as a person I think) ... friends of mine in SA tell me he already has a new girlfriend. Now, that makes me want to throw up.

[bigvalboy]

he's a sociopath who can switch it on or off.

 

And while this has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with his guilt or the trial (but speaks to him as a person I think) ... friends of mine in SA tell me he already has a new girlfriend. Now, that makes me want to throw up.

 

This last sentence just sent a chill up my spine.....

[tyro]

Someone would actually want him, after all this?

Wowzers.

T

[BSR]

Prisons are chock-full of scum-of-the-Earth rapists and murderers, many of whom have their share of prison groupies. I remember that one of the Menendez brothers got married to a pen pal, a model who wasn't just beautiful but also super-smart. She was a helluva catch and could have married a man with just as much to offer, but instead she married a prisoner who murdered his parents just because he didn't feel like waiting any longer for his inheritance. Apparently Scott Peterson, who murdered his 8-months-pregnant wife Laci, also has a number of groupies. Don't ask me to explain it. I doubt anyone could explain it.

[MrMiniver]

Someone would actually want him, after all this?

Wowzers.

T

 

Believe my from what lawyers tell me, guys in prison get more dates and have more sex than most of us on this board are getting

 

Don't forget, two women married the Menendez Brothers while they were in prison for brutally murdering their parents. OJ Simpson had no problem finding any number of white blonde women who wanted to bonk him after he murdered his white blonde ex wife.