Oscar Pistorius, also known as Bladerunner, is a paralympic runner who has spent a decade in prison, accused of murdering his then girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Oscar claims that he thought the strange sounds he heard from the bathroom, where Reeva was, were from an intruder. Oscar shot Reeva through the door of the bathroom, killing her.
Below are a few key forensic points that were brought up at Oscar Pistorius’ initial trial and were the subject of fierce debate…
The Screams
The first witness to recount the event at trial was Michelle Burger, a woman who lived in a nearby estate. She, along with several others, reported hearing a woman screaming on the night in question. Michelle stated, ‘she screamed terribly and yelled for help. Just after her screams, I heard four gunshots…’
The Phone
During the trial, it was stated that Steenkamp had fled to the bathroom following a fight with Oscar. The door had been locked from the inside and investigators found her cell phone inside the bathroom with her. The phone proved to be a pivotal part of the trial — questionable text messages sent from Reeva to Oscar were revealed, one reading ‘I’m scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and how you will react to me.’
The Bathroom Door
Four bullet holes littered the door, showing where Oscar had fired his weapon. The damage to the bathroom door was a huge point of debate for the defense and prosecution — forensic investigator Colonel Gerhard Vermeulen questioned whether or nor Oscar was wearing his prosthetics at the time he forced the door open.
Oscar Pistorius sits solemnly in the court room. Source: NBC News
As of now, Oscar has been granted parole, set for release in January of 2024. How could this be? Could this be a total failure of justice? Perhaps there’s more to the story — what actually happened that night? Stay tuned for the release of Scott Roder’s book, ‘A Leg to Stand On,’ which offers an exclusive look at the reconstruction of the crime scene, never before heard statements from Oscar and a new perspective on how that fateful night unfolded.
Sources:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-13/five-key-pieces-of-evidence-in-pistorius-trial/5739032
source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/oscar-pistorius-denied-parole-murder-reeva-steenkamp-rcna77550
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