Trial cancelled..... postponed..... report back Monday 7th April

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Great news really.... Roux can take time to consider the 100 witnesses that the State put on their witness list just to stop the defence using them. Also, NEL's evidence was far from memorable... given an extra week the Judge would have forgotten what the hell he was banging on about

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

My thoughts too, in particular as you pointed out - here is a man with military experience, of course his ears know the difference between a gunshop and a cricket bat - I can't see it any other way. I don't know if it's still the case, and thinking off the top of my head, but I certainly know that National Service was in operation in South Africa 70-90s - may still be the case, which means that he would not have been alone in his military service - in terms of witness - just a though.

Thought occurs to me that before posting, maybe I should check if SA still has national service.



Too Right - agree 100%, it's certainly not what I would have expected to see, or what I'm used to seeing.

I agree with the rest of your post Rumpole - these coming days will be crucial to this case. Times IMO are important for the reasons you give. If they are to be relied upon, then for OP to have gone frantically [one assumes] back to his bedroom to put is prosthesis back - surely even with the practised years he's had, he would need more time in the circumstances, than a minute or just under!!

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Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

Our posting's crossed - yes I agree it is vitally important that the defense puts forward the best case they can, so the more time to prepare the better.

Jings, here was me with my day ahead all planned too - have to wait until the 7th, jings thats over a week away!!

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

It is the woman assessor who is sick...

So OP NOT testifying first... another foot stomping blow for the Mob

Pistorius trial put on hold moments before athlete to take stand
Illness of one of the judge's assessors forces adjournment until April 7, just as the Paralympian was preparing to testify as defence opened case
By Aislinn Laing, Pretoria
10:37AM GMT 28 Mar 2014

Advocate Janet Henzen du Toit is believed to have been discharged from hospital on Friday morning but has been told to rest - an instruction that prompted Judge Masipa to declare the trial adjourned for 10 days until April 7.
[....]
It is understood that there is no guarantee Miss du Toit will be sufficiently well to continue with the case on April 7. If that happens, another assessor would need to be appointed and given time to read in to the case, or it could be restarted altogether.

...more at link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... stand.html

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Furthermore, it could mean if a new assessor needs to be appointed, there will be an even longer gap in the trial proceeding, as she will have to come up to date as stated - this may even take a couple of weeks.

I'm glad we are in this phase because I think this phase [hope I'm not disappointed] will be far more interesting than the first.

We can but be hopeful.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

It seems like an extension of the "Tea Break"... a British trait that has apparently mutated in South Africa...

RIGHT SAID FRED

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Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

that's too funny.

I know the coverage of the Pistorus case will be live, but I hear it will be audio only this time. Well, at least that means body language 'experts' will not be able to say either way, as he won't be seen. Very clever.

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Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

I see rumours abound.. as they do.. as to WHY the defence want to call their pathology expert first.

As usual, the rumour mongers seemed to have missed, or failed to comprehend the evidence presented.

It seems quite obvious to me that the pathologist will (amongst other things) address the question of the food in Reeva's stomach and the State contention that she ate 2 hour before her death. I am not claiming "clairvoyance" in predicting that...... Roux said that he would dispute that claim with his own expert. That State evidence and assertion was one of the RARE points that the State scored. Not much of a blow though, since it's well documented that evaluation based on food digestion is open to a wide range of interpretations.
So... Rumpole's prediction is that first up we get a clarification on the timing of Reeva's last meal. There may also be some clarification of details of Reeva's injuries. Roux already hinted at that with questioning about hand injury and lack of injury from skull splinters etc.
IMO this is a brilliant move by Roux... cut through some of the crap and shonkey conclusions that the State Pathologist presented... ahead of OP's testimony so that it can be viewed in the context of scientific factual evidence

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

i thought at the time we heard this, having been made aware that according to OP they went to bed early that night at around 10pm, meaning her last meal was at 8pm or thereabouts. She died in the wee small hours, meaning her last meal if the pathologist we heard for the Prosecution was wrong (or was he?) because eating would have had to take place at anywhere between midnight and 1am by which time we are led to believe they were both asleep!!

I've wondered about this for a while. Nonetheless, in pathology it is not too difficult once the food has begun to break down or, not yet broken down to narrow the time of the last meal, this is basic pathology to be honest, and I would have thought since it's basic - both the Pros. and Def. pathologists would be giving similar evidence - but I suppose you could use a comparison i.e. does food breakdown or not, in everyone's stomach at the same time - is it an exact science - either way at the moment, it's not making much sense to me and I think this is vital to the case too.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

From what I have read... food digestion is NOT a "go to" indicator of times, because it can vary so much

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I thought it would vary, so it makes you wonder why the importance of it!!

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

The State used it to refute OP's narrative.. obviously. As I have noted before... I think the State have limited evidence to disprove OP's version, but that is what they have committed to, and so have actually wasted most of their presentation trying to PROVE that OP is lying. They are committed to proving that OP is lying about having thought that there was an intruder..... Proving that he shot at the door knowing that Reeva was behind it. They are going all out for murder1 (or the SA equivalent). A daft strategy IMO

I could be wrong... it might happen one day

Gerrie (ferret) Nel... may have a cunning plan? So cunning you could stick a tail on it and call it a weasel.

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

I know and hear what you're saying, it certainly looks this way, so I wonder why they just didn't bring a lesser charge - the equivalent of manslaughter - I'm pretty certain here that's what it would have been. Yet, when I've talked about the case to 3 people who all live in J'berg since the 70s, they tell me almost down to a last man in SA they believe OP is lying.

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Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

I think you mix with the same "types" who post at True Gossip Forums... the "Presumption of Guilt" crowd

Or... slightly more thoughtful answer.

I guess I still don't know if OP is lying or not. Maybe he is, but the point is that to prove that Beyond Reasonable doubt was a daft thing to undertake. Whether the State believe that or not... they should have conceded the point and then argued the criminality of OP's actions even if he believed there was an intruder. History is filled with people who "get away with" stuff that we all "know" they did. Sometimes you simply can not prove things though. (ref Drew Peterson and Staci)

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

No, because I started out being almost certain he is innocent, and that he panicked, I'm 70 - 30 now 70 being innocent.

_________________
Since we are destined to live out our lives in the prison of our minds, our one duty is to furnish it well~Peter Ustinov

This delay may be helpful for the defense since some of the impact of the prosecution witness testimonies might fade from the mind somewhat. Maybe and then again maybe not.

Hi packy

"Maybe, or maybe not" ...... have you been talking to Mal?

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light