Oscar Pistorius Lawyers to Take Legal Action Over Leaked Video


By Oliver Ngwenya    08-Jul-2014 05:26 UTC+02:00
Image: philly.com

Image: philly.com

Oscar Pistorius has more on his plate to deal with after the emergence of a video in which he was seen ‘walking’ unaided in an apparent recapture of the event of the night he fatally shot his law student model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013. This has sent his defence team scuttling to do damage control and ensure that the emergence of the video does not affect their case.

Oscar Pistorius, popularly known as the Blade Runner, stands accused of the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. He, on the other hand, argues that he did not deliberately kill Reeva but he fired the four shots, three of which killed his girlfriend believing that he was shooting at an intruder who was holed up in the toilet. He says he believed that whoever was in the toilet was going to come at him with a gun and this explains why he shot through the door. The prosecution, led Gerrie Nel, aptly termed the Bull Terrier, argues that the couple had an argument and in a feat of characteristic anger, he shot her through the toilet door where she had gone to seek refuge.

It is against this background that the video emerges. Having argued in their defence that it is near impossible for the accused to move any significant distance without his prosthetics. In the video, which, according to the defence team, they commissioned the Evidence Room, an American company to make, he is seen moving unaided on his stumps. If accepted as evidence in the North Gauteng High Court, it could deal a blow to their case. The big argument has shifted to how and why the video was released. The Oscar Pistorius defence team has confirmed that they will be taking legal action against the American company, The Evidence Room, for breach of confidentiality since they released the video without consultation and permission. The video was, on Sunday, screened by the Australian television company, Channel 7 without the prior knowledge of the defence team. They further claim that they have requested the American company to redo the video because it does not present their case clearly as it does not accurately represent the events of the night Reeva died. On the other hand, Channel 7, the Australian television company, has said that it would not have screened the video if it had known that it was obtained illegally.

Indications from the legal fraternity are that if he is found guilty, Oscar Pistorius faces a lengthy jail term of up to twenty five years. His lucrative and colorful athletics career would not be able to survive. The defence is expected to wrap up its case on Tuesday.


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