London Olympics 2012

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Salomé wrote:

A very sad story, whether it is truly a tragic accident or murder.

Apparently she was shot four times. I'm suspicious of the "intruder" theory, but am willing to keep an open mind.

First questions that pop out at me: How did he manage to be that accurate (two shots to the head, two to the chest) with someone who he allegedly thought was an intruder in the middle of the night? That's pretty good aim. Was anything else shot in the room? Bullet holes in anything else that might support his theory? What kind of gun might he have been using that could have fired off several bullets with one shot? Four single shots against an intruder seems a bit excessive (also seems somewhat personal, which would suggest a more intimate motive for the killing than simply randomly firing off shots against an intruder).

Well from what little I read about it in the media, Pistorius is a gun enthusiast who spends quite a bit of time at the gun range.
So he would have the required training to be a rather good shot, and it appears as if the shots were fired from close range.
So I wouldn't want to dismiss the mistaken identity theory before more facts are revealed.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

The 'tragic accident' angle has been discounted, the charge is now pre-meditated murder.

He has been charged with murder, but surely that doesn't disprove that this could have been an accident?

There's been some controversy about the cover the Sun ran with:



Those defending it say it's fair game because the woman did earn her money by being a swimwear model.

I would counter with the argument that the choice of photograph is inappropriate for the same reason you won't tend to see many bikini/shorts shots at a wake or a memorial service.

Murdoch is apparently considering scrapping page 3 of the Sun ... he might also want to include pages 1-2 and 4-70.

When you wake up in the middle of the night - and crime is so endemic in South Africa - what do you do if somebody is in the house? Do you think it's one of your family? Of course you don't,' (Henke Pistorius) said."

I *get* that crime is really bad in South Africa. And I *get* that you can't bring yourself to admit the unthinkable: that your son is a murderer, despite the fine way you raised him. But don't put your credibility out on a limb with intellectually hollow arguments either. If your girlfriend is no longer in bed with you AND you hear a noise in the bathroom and she's been with you all night (as evidenced by her clothes being everywhere, her purse on the dresser, and her d.n.a. on one side of the bed) AND she didn't tell you she was leaving the house, IT IS KIND OF REASONABLE to suspect that she might, just might, be in the bathroom. I don't know how you go from hearing a noise in the bathroom to immediately getting out your gun and putting 4 bullets holes through the door. The mind boggles.

A couple of the best comments I've read on this matter over at Deadspin (which I think illustrate the preposterous nature of his defense; it's simply not believable, nor lining up anywhere close to the facts):

This is an amazing coincidence. Last week my daughter got up to use the bathroom during the night, so I shot her 4 times and beat her head in with a 9-iron. My wife acted all pissy about it, but I pointed out that it was a natural response and everybody does it. That didn't mollify her. She thinks I should have used a gap wedge.

I never thought this would happen to me. I was sleeping at home, the other night, and I hear this rustling coming from downstairs. I wake up, and I’m in a panic because I live in a really high crime area. Luckily, I keep a gun by my bedside. It’s a necessary protection with all the home invasions in this city, especially when you’re disabled, like me. I grabbed it and waited. A shadowy figure came into my bedroom. I was frozen with fear. The figure set down its overnight bag and changed into its nightgown. I couldn’t move. The figure got into my bed. We lay there for a while. I slowly worked up the courage to confront this burglar. I grabbed my trusty cricket bat from beside the bed. Then I swung it, hitting the burglar in the head. The burglar jumped out of bed and ran for the door, but I was holding my gun, from earlier, when I heard the noises downstairs. I shot at the burglar, wounding him. I put on my prosthetic legs, and ran after the burglar, very quickly, but the burglar had locked himself in my bathroom. Afraid that he’d steal some of my toiletries, I shot through the door of the bathroom several times. Then, wanting to make sure the burglar was not stealing anything else, I broke down the door to the bathroom. To my horror, I discovered it was my girlfriend who was the burglar. In a panic, I phoned my family and told them the story of my terrible mistake. They came to the house about 30 minutes later. They said I should call the hospital and police, and I did. Also, I had a loud argument with a burglar earlier that evening, which may have been my girlfriend, too. I’m not really sure. Burglar.

Nope, it's never occurred to me that the person walking around my house at midnight is one of those other two people that live in my house. Never. I expect them to stay motionless in their beds and to ask for my permission before they dare get out of bed for a late night snack or a glass of water. God help them if they get home late. No one is allowed to enter or leave my house while I am home.

The cricket bat thing's not far off, apparently a bloodied baseball bat was found at the house.

It does look increasingly unlikely this was an accident.
Which means it was a very sad and extreme case of domestic violence.

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Murdoch is apparently considering scrapping page 3 of the Sun ... he might also want to include pages 1-2 and 4-70.

Page 3 is the only page worth reading.

'Reading' is a bit generous.

Sorry, I meant wanking over.

Largo's Shark wrote:

Blunt Instrument wrote:

Murdoch is apparently considering scrapping page 3 of the Sun ... he might also want to include pages 1-2 and 4-70.

Page 3 is the only page worth reading.

the quotes attributed to the models are hilarious if anything.