Oscar Pistorius holds memorial for murdered girlfriend

Reeva Steenkamp was shot on Valentine’s Day

Real Grief, Or A Media Ploy?

Oscar Pistorius, the accused murderer of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day is holding a memorial at his uncle’s Pretoria home for the former model.

He says he is distraught over the accidental shooting, while she was locked in the bathroom.  He said he loved her, and believed an intruder had entered his home.

The private service will be held Tuesday evening.  When the family released a statement revealing the memorial, the question was asked why, if they wanted it to remain private, did they announce it to the press.  They claim someone leaked it, so they felt obligated to disclose it.

The family’s statement:  “Oscar specifically requested the memorial service as he continues to grieve and remains in deep mourning for the loss of his partner Reeva,” the Pistorius family’s statement reads. “Since it is such a sensitive issue, Oscar has asked for a private service with people who share his loss, including his family members who knew and loved Reeva as one of their own.”

When O.J. Simpson was acquitted for killing Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, I was disheartened.  How could the system fail so badly?  It was obvious that he brutally sliced up his ex-wife and got away with it.

Is it going to happen again?  Many people, all over the world, believe there are two sets of laws, one for the wealthy, and one for the rest of us.  Just as did Simpson, Pistorius has enough money to hire expensive attorneys who seldom lose.  In the case of the corrupt legal system in South Africa, he can afford to “buy” judges as well.

Contradictions between his statements and the facts seem to leave little doubt that this was a case of homicide, not manslaughter.

The trial begins in June, and just as with O.J., the world will be watching.

James Turnage

Columnist-The Guardian Express