Oscar Pistorius Trial: A Critical Interpretation of the Case

This case study delves into the trial of Oscar Pistorius for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp, providing a detailed timeline of events, from the initial accusations to the final verdict. It critically examines the legal strategies employed, including the defense's focus on Pistorius's mental state and the prosecution's effective cross-examination led by Gerrie Nel. The analysis extends to the broader ethical and judicial implications of broadcasting the trial, the role of media influence, and the balance between public access and individual privacy. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for careful consideration of privacy and dignity in sensitive legal proceedings, highlighting the complexities involved in high-profile cases within the South African judicial system and beyond. Desklib offers a platform for students to explore similar solved assignments and past papers for comprehensive learning.

CRM4204 first
summative paper

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
This project report is based on Trials of Oscar Pistorius for murder of his girlfriend Reeva
Steenkamp and on various gun related charges. Pistorius was a South African runner who have
gained attraction because of his disability and despite he had won many Paralympic games but
was caught in a relentless controversy in the murder of his girlfriend. On 14th February, his
girlfriend was killed at his Pretoria home and he was declared as the prime suspect as all
evidence were incriminating him at the scene. He had accepted that he shot Steenkamp but said
that he mistook her for intruder. He was taken into custody and was charged of murder of 15
February 2013. Further, this report will cover a critical interpretation of criminal court trial.
TIMELINE
On the occasion of valentine’s day, Oscar Pistorius killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and
the entire timeline of this case has been demonstrated below along with the analysis of the major
developments this trial introduced in civil judgements.
March 2014 – He was initially accused of murdering his ex-girlfriend and rest of the trial was
about proving his excuses wrong. But one of his neighbour was called as witness and he told that
he had heard blood curdling and four gun shots sound on that night when Reeva killed.
March 5 – The prosecutor Gerrie Nel said that she received texts after his mobile number were
called out in court room. The voicemail was saying why are you lying in court and you know
that Oscar didn’t killed Reeve.
March 10 – Pistorius vomits in dock when he hears the graphic details of injuries that he had shot
to his girlfriend.
March 11 – A witness has told that Pistorius have fired from car sun roof after pulled by police
for over speeding.
March 13 –The crime scene and its weapons were showed to court.
March 17 – Manager of south African gun training academy that Oscar have great love for
firearms.
March 24 – The text of Oscar and Steenkamp were read out in court room and was said that she
sometimes scares with his boyfriend because of short tempered. This shows that he is a short
tempered person.

March 28 – Due to illness, judge delays proceedings because of illness.
April 7 – Oscar said that after this tragedy there is no day when he did not think about his
girlfriend’s family. This shows that he is a generous people and have guilty for his action.
April 8 –he breaks down in tears and this shows that he is regretting for his actions.
April 9 – In this trial, it described that how he helped his girlfriend in breathing by putting his
fingers in mouth and trying to stop bleeding.
April 11 – Mr Nel starts cross examination and put picture of shot dead Reeva and ask to look at
this time.
The rest of the timeline has been presented below in the form of a table in which there were
many mental health related developments were presented along with the testimony given by
Oscar.
Timeline Events
April 15 He was re-examined by his council and said
that he was thinking Reeva as an intruder and
how fearful it was and exclaimed that what
could happen to him.
May 5 This trial reflects that Oscar called Johan
Stander and told him to come quickly as Reeva
was shot dead.
May 8 A social worker told that Oscar cried many
times for their future and have great plan
regarding marriage.
May 9 A ballistics expert told that he had created a
scene similar to scene of murdered place. It
was reconstructed by the help of police.
May 12 Mr Nel told that Oscar should be placed under
a psychiatrist as he has anxiety disorder.

May 14 Oscar were sent to psychiatrist and in order to
get test of his disorder. This case is delayed till
30th June and observed as an outpatient at
Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital.
MAIN BODY
This trail is highly publicized and the case turned on its head during the coming weeks as it
was found that Oscar despite being a decorated athlete with a lot of achievements, his defence
team attempted to clear his name by using any tactic in the book. The use of their client’s mental
health condition was one of the techniques they employed which came forward in the month of
July when one of the medical reports submitted by the defence stated that Oscar was severely
traumatised due to the death of the same person that he was accused of killing and the entire
legal process that he was being subjected to was taking a massive mental toll on his physical and
mental wellbeing. This is a major problem which needs urgent addressing by the legal authorities
as many people and their defences have been using the issue of mental health to reduce the
sentences of their clients which in case of fallacy demeans the mental toll which court cases like
these takes on the victims and the accused. The Oscar case has been especially famous in this
regard as there were many major developments which have changed the way courts function and
allow the media and public exposure to determine such trials. The effects of this trial can be seen
even today as criminality is gaining more and more broadcasting appeal in primetime television.
This trail was very controversial and shed major light into the judicial system of South
Africa where rampant racism and class divide exists and it was also one of its kind in the fact
that the trail was broadcasted live on television. The way in which the prosecutor Gerrie Nel tore
into the flimsy arguments of Pistorius made him earn rave appreciation and names such as
Pitbull along with overnight celebrity status. The way in which Gerrie prosecuted Oscar also
helped a lot of courts and judicial executives around the world on how to proceed to interrogate
and cross examine a murder accused in a way that their entire testimony comes crashing down.
He started the initial questioning by emotionally attacking Oscar by pointing clear contradictions

in his testimony and also asking his repeatedly to confess to the murder despite his constant
refusal. This approach is a model to follow for prosecutors in courts and the way he broke down
the fake apology to his girlfriend's parents which were delivered by Oscar was also praise worthy
as he pointed our faults in his personality as he wasn't humble enough to apologize to her
girlfriend’s parents in private which is a great way of breaking the accused who is putting on a
front and making them eventually admit their crimes.
Another major line of judicial debate and ethical dilemma that this trail introduced is the
digital means of broadcasting a trial which is something that has its fair share of supporters and
critics and the truth is somewhere buried in the middle which has been complicated further by
the digital age in which trials take place nowadays (Biber, 2019). On one hand, such trials are
just means for media corporations to sell angles and headlines and earn profit rather than fight
for open justice and on the other hand, such trials being broadcasted live detracts from fake news
and dubious information from appearing regarding the trial and helps keep a solid proof of the
court proceedings (Mattie, 2018). Another major debate that the courts of both South Africa and
the world should pay emphasis on is whether such open displays of trails are respectful to human
privacy or not as the concept of dignity gets very sensitive. Such proceedings are out for the
entire world to see and judge which is unfair to both accused and the victim and we must also
think about the way fake news has been affecting trials and cases around the world (Boyle,
2019).
CONCLUSION
The above essay went into detail regarding the various complexities involved in the trial of
Oscar Pistorius who is a decorated Paralympian athlete who is serving a jail sentence for the
murder for his girlfriend. This report analysed the major proceedings which happened during the
course of the entire trial and also shed light on the various major events that took place such as
open broadcasting of the trial and the valiant efforts of the prosecutor, Gerrie Nel. It was
concluded from this report that trials which are of sensitive nature must be carefully thought out
before media and the broadcasting aspect gets involved. The topic of privacy and dignity of
victim and the accused is of prime importance and must not be compromised in any manner in
legal proceedings.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Boyle, K., 2019. Fake News and Filter Bubbles: Rethinking Counterspeech in the Age of Social
Media. Chicago Policy Review (Online).
Mattie, M.R., 2018. The Implications of Major News Outlets Broadcasting Law Enforcement-
Citizen Encounters: Are They Reliable. J. High Tech. L., 19, p.130.
Biber, K., 2019. Dignity in the digital age: Broadcasting the Oscar Pistorius trial. Crime, media,
culture, 15(3), pp.401-422.
Geldenhuys, K., 2020. The pathological narcissist. Servamus Community-based Safety and
Security Magazine, 113(7), pp.28-31.
Smith, R., 2022. Celebrity and Spectacles of Criminal Justice. In The Spectacle of Criminal
Justice: Mass Media and the Criminal Trial. Emerald Publishing Limited.