S Africa Judge Clears Pistorius of Murder Runner Also Faces Three Gun-Related Charges
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Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 Villain or victim: Who is the real Oscar Pistorius? CAPE TOWN: Oscar Pistorius-a champion athlete who Johannesburg without fibulas (calf bones), his parents to run at the World Championships, where he took silver beat the odds to inspire millions worldwide, or a danger- decided when he was 11 months old to have his legs with South Africa’s 4x400m sprint team. “You’re not dis- ously volatile man with a penchant for guns, beautiful amputated below the knee so he could be fitted with pros- abled by your disabilities but abled by your abilities,” he women and fast cars? thetic legs. This allowed him to play sports unhindered told Athlete magazine in an interview that year. In 2012 he Both versions of South Africa’s double amputee while growing up. He excelled in many, concentrating on again made history by becoming the first double-amputee Paralympic hero were pored over in minute detail during running only after fracturing a knee playing rugby. to compete at both the Olympics and Paralympics. But his six-month trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva since shooting Steenkamp, in what he always claimed was Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013. ‘Put on your legs’ a tragic accident, his sporting prowess has been overshad- Before the shock shooting, and the trial in which he was “It was never made an issue. My mother would say to owed by questions about his behaviour. alternatively portrayed as villain and victim, Pistorius was my brother, ‘You put on your shoes, and Oscar, you put on one of the world’s most admired sportsmen. your legs, then meet me at the car,’” Pistorius told The Gun-obsessed A formidable competitor known as the “fastest man on Independent in 2011. Just eight months after taking to the In an angry outburst at the London Paralympics he hit no legs”, he was courted by big luxury brands and named track, he smashed the 200m world record at the Athens out at the length of the blades of a fellow competitor who as the “Sexiest Man Alive”. But his “Blade Runner” epithet, Paralympics 10 years ago. pipped him to gold in the 100m-before apologising. In earned for his trademark prosthetic legs that powered him Next up was the 2008 Beijing Paralympic games where 2009, he spent a night in jail after allegedly assaulting a 19- to fame, swiftly became recast as the “Blade Gunner” after he took the 100m, 200m and 400m sprint titles and year-old woman at a party in a case that was settled out of he shot 29-year-old model and law graduate Reeva launched a battle to take part in the able-bodied athletics, court. Two years later, he allegedly fired a gun through the Steenkamp dead. And in the dock, the hard-edged unfor- overcoming arguments that his custom-built carbon-fibre sunroof of an ex-girlfriend’s moving car. And weeks before giving athlete with a reputation for clashing with his track running blades gave him an unfair advantage. he shot Steenkamp, he reportedly discharged a gun by rivals gave way to a sobbing, broken man. Born in 1986 in In 2011 he made history by becoming the first amputee accident at a Johannesburg restaurant. —AFP S Africa judge clears Pistorius of murder Runner also faces three gun-related charges PRETORIA: A South African judge cleared Oscar Pistorius ‘Fickle humans’ of all murder charges yestersday, saying prosecutors had Although he has been cleared of the two murder failed to prove the Olympic and Paralympic track star charges, he could still be convicted of culpable homicide intended to kill his girlfriend or an imagined intruder on for the negligent or reckless killing of Steenkamp, hit by Valentine’s Day last year. As judge Thokozile Masipa deliv- four 9mm rounds fired through the toilet door at Pistorius’s ered her decision, Pistorius, who would have faced at least luxury Pretoria home. Culpable homicide carries up to 15 25 years behind bars for premeditated murder, sat sobbing years in jail. Alternatively the double-amputee could be in the dock, tears streaming down his cheeks. acquitted, allowing him to leave the court and potentially A verdict on the less serious charge of culpable homi- resume his career as one of the biggest names in world ath- PRETORIA: South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius (C) is surrounded cide is still to come. Although Masipa described the 27- letics. As the 66-year-old Masipa began her methodical by members of the media as he leaves the High Court after the verdict hear- year-old as a “very poor” and “evasive” witness, she said it review of the 41-day trial and the charges - which also ing of his trial over the killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, yes- did not mean the track star was necessarily guilty in a case include three unrelated firearms offences - a pained and terday in Pretoria. — AFP she said was based entirely on circumstantial evidence. forlorn Pistorius bowed his head in the dock. “The state has not proved beyond reasonable doubt that Masipa, only the second black woman to rise to the Key quotes from the accused is guilty of premeditated murder,” Masipa told bench in South Africa, has remained impassive throughout the Pretoria High Court. “There are just not enough facts to the often dramatic and gruesome court proceedings, seem- support such a finding.” She then proceeded to absolve ingly impervious to the global interest in a case that has the Pistorius ruling Pistorius, who said he shot model and law graduate Reeva drawn comparisons to the 1995 murder trial of American Steenkamp in the mistaken belief she was an intruder hid- football star OJ Simpson. In one early blow to Pistorius, she PRETORIA: Judge Thokozile Masipa yes- ty.” “I am not persuaded that a reason- ing in a toilet cubicle, of a lesser murder charge that falls said defence allegations of police contamination of the terday started handing down judgement able person with the accused’s disabilities short of a direct intention to kill. “Clearly he did not subjec- crime scene “paled into insignificance”. in the trial of Oscar Pistorius, finding him in the same circumstances would have tively foresee this as a possibility that he would kill the per- However, as she drew up a detailed timeline of the not guilty of murder but leaving the door fired four shots into that small toilet cubi- son behind the door - let alone the deceased - as he shooting, she questioned the reliability of multiple state open for a conviction on manslaughter. cle.” thought she was in the bedroom,” she told the packed witnesses, including that of a neighbour who testified to Here are some key quotes from the “The accused knew there was a person courtroom. hearing the terrified screams of a woman before and dur- judge so far: behind the toilet door, he chose to use a ing shots. firearm, which was lethal weapon, he was She also rejected a mass of instant messaging evidence On the state’s case competent in the use of firearms.” presented by both prosecution and defence to suggest, “The state clearly has not proved “A reasonable person with the respectively, that the couple’s relationship was on the rocks beyond reasonable doubt that the accused’s disability and in his position or loving and strong. “Normal relationships are dynamic accused is guilty of premeditated mur- would have foreseen that if he fired shots and unpredictable most of the time, while human beings der.” “Viewed in its totality, the evidence at the door, the person inside the toilet are fickle,” she said. “None of the evidence of a loving rela- failed to establish that the accused had might be struck and might die as a result.” tionship, or a relationship turned sour, can assist this court.” the requisite intention to kill the deceased, let alone with premeditation.” On the defence’s argument Gripping trial “The accused therefore cannot be about Pistorius’s vulnerability The case has transfixed millions around the world who found guilty of murder.” “The intention to “Vulnerability is not unique.” admired Pistorius, a man whose lower legs were amputat- shoot, however, does not necessarily “There are many people in this country ed as a baby but who reached the semi-finals of the 400 include the intention to kill.” “Clearly he without any form of security at all.” “Many metres at the London Olympics in 2012. That same year, did not objectively foresee this as a possi- people in this country had experienced Time magazine included him in its list of the world’s 100 bility that he would kill the person behind crime... many have been victims of violent most influential people, “the definition of global inspira- the door.” crimes, but they have not resorted to tion”. sleeping with firearms under their pillow.” In sports-mad South Africa, the shooting caused an On Pistorius’s actions even bigger impact, the stunning downfall of a sporting “The accused had reasonable time to On Pistorius’s own testimony hero feted by black and white alike in a society still divided reflect, to think and conduct himself rea- “The accused was a very poor witness.” by its racist past. The case continued to inflame passions sonably.” “The accused acted too hastily “The accused was, amongst other even after Masipa delivered her decision. “We are here in and used excessive force.” “It is clear that things, an evasive witness.” “He failed to JOHANNESBURG: This file picture dated November 4, support of all women who have been abused or killed by his conduct was negligent.” listen properly to questions put to him 2012 shows South Africa’s Olympic sprint star Oscar their partners,” said supermarket worker Joyce Radebe, “He took a conscious decision: he under cross-examination, giving the Pistorius and his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp during who took the day off to demonstrate outside the court with knew where he kept his firearm and he impression that he was more worried by the Feather Awards held at Melrose Arch in members of the African National Congress Women’s knew where his bathroom was.