EP52: Olympic Gold Murderer: The Case of Oscar Pistorius

(upbeat music) - All right, welcome back to another episode of the Psychopedia podcast. I am your co-host, thanks for not to hear with my co-host. - Investigators later. - Blanned Vanilla. - I didn't like it. It felt wrong and I don't know why you did it. - I was trying something out. I'm here with my partner in true Chrissy. - Investigators Lizzie. (laughing) - See, you are, you're fast. - Yeah, I can be. - You're very excited about this case. - I know, I am. - I mean, more so than usual. - Well, you know why? Because I think it's your sort of case. I think you're gonna connect with it. I think a lot of people will connect with it for reasons that will become obvious when we begin. So I get excited because of that. - Also, you're excited for us. - Yeah, by proxy. - Okay, gotcha. It's also our Valentine's Day case. - It is. - So happy Valentine's Day, out there, you little lovers and you little freaks. I know Valentine's Day can be a tough day for some people if you're alone. I would challenge anybody out there. This is what I used to do when I was single. I would like to do shit for myself that day. Just trying to be nice to myself. Stop being such a piece of shit to myself. - Love it. - Yo, self. - Love yourself. - Yes. - It feels good. It feels strange and awkward at the beginning. Sometimes it might even feel strange and awkward. I guess to love the person you're with if there's some B for some kind of rift, but just like maybe don't do it on Valentine's Day. Maybe do it on March 7th. - So for a very long time in my relationship with Dave, I boy-cotted Valentine's Day. - Yeah, I mentally boy-cotted you. - Yeah, I was like, why do I need a day to be told to love you? - Don't you feel so righteous calling something a hallmark holiday, by the way? - Yes, and I did call it that. - Of course you did. - I did. - I don't fucking celebrate a hallmark. - Okay, you miserable piece. - So I was gonna say so I was a stick in the mud for many, many years. And then Dave was like, can we just have another excuse to love each other? Like, it doesn't mean we can't love each other or spoil each other or surprise each other or whatever each other every other day of the year. But why not just take that extra day? And when he said it like that, I was like, oh, you mean we can make it our own? It could be a day that everybody's doing it, but we could do it our way. - Yeah. - All right, let's go. And then I had two sons and now we have Valentine's Day together. It's a good day to put out love. I think of the St. Francis prayer where it says it's better to love than to be loved. - Yeah, isn't he the patron saint of animals? - St. Francis? - I think I have that wrong. - But you do love animals. Animals are your religion. God is dog spelled backwards, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. - Yes, and love is my scripture. - That's right. Well, if this is your first time listening, welcome to the freak show. If you're a returning listener, welcome home. You're freak. I love it. - You know that. - We are well aware, obviously. They have tons of options. There's so many true crime podcasts. The fact that you're here right now listening to this actually in this moment. You, your ears, my voice in your head right now is nothing short of a miracle. - It's love. And today it means something extra special. - It is love. And I mean, another way to show love to us, if you feel inclined is to just give us a rating, review, subscribe, share, force, hijack bones. 'Cause really, it's you and us versus the machines. And those machines love interactivity. So, unsubscribe, subscribe. No, I'm just kidding, don't do that. But like, you know, we wanna reach more people. We wanna grow this community and speaking of community, if you're not getting enough of what you want here right now, you can head on over to patreon.com/psychopediaPod. We're not only do we do an extra episode a week of unhinged, which is, I'm in charge over there. It's a wild ride, but it's also very interesting. I go back and listen and I learn a lot about you, even though I'm in the moment recording with you, I go back and relisten and I'm like, that was so profound. We had a really, really incredible conversation right there. - Oh yeah, always. It's always so much fun to record and fun to listen to for me. So, if you relate to me, maybe you'll like it too. And in addition, two things, right? We're gonna be doing an extra episode, a week of a true crime case very soon for all levels. $5 and $10. The unhinges for $10 seeming demon levels only. But also, do you want to tell them what else we're doing? - Oh, ad-free. - Yeah. - So, we are going to be offering on patreon, the regular episodes that you all listen to on the public forums, but without ads. So, ad-free episodes on patreon. We just have to be a week behind when the episodes come out. So, if you can wait the week and you want ad-free, join us on patreon. - So, if you haven't listened to every episode, and you don't want to hear the ads, which I totally understand, but we need, because we have to survive in this world. - Feed our families. - Yeah. Then head on over to patreon.com/psychopediaPod. And finally, finally, finally, finally, we have merch. Investigators Slater is actually wearing a piece of it right now. It says, "Investigator, slay her." - That's right. - Which is quite a play on words. - Yeah, Dave had this made for me. - Yeah, he's a genius. That's at psychopediapod.com. - Oh, and you can buy this shirt, also. It's available. - Yeah, we're going to get one from me, so I feel special. - Oh, yeah, that'd be so cute. - Yeah, I don't know what it's going to be. Probably a guy sitting on a toilet or something. - Skippity toilet? (both laughing) - So, not without, with much further amor, lots of love, let's get into this week's case and hear what it's all about. - It took place on Valentine's Day. - Is it, let me ask you a question. Is it about me being rejected on Valentine's Day? - Oh, no. What grade? - Every grade. (both laughing) - No, it's not, thankfully. - All right, good. - On February 14th, 2013, a scene of stark contrast unfolded within the confines of a luxurious home. Behind a reddish-brown wooden door, now splintered and shattered, droplets of blood began to congeal on the elegant beige marble tiles of the master bathroom. - I'm there right now. Second question is cash there, because the doorway is splintered. Is he eating it? - Oh, you would think. He's eating every other door. Crimson, spatter, gently cascaded down the wall tiles, coming to a halt on the floor where it met the cold outline of spent bullet casings, black against the pale stone. (sighs) The wall bore the scars of horrific violence, marked by three distinct ricochet points where bullets had struck with lethal force. Beside the door handle, a key dangled from the brass lock above a fragment of bone, resting on a piece of wood torn from the devastated door. Amidst this chaos, the bathroom's disarray was a mere echo of the deeper tragedy that loomed over the scene, a testament to a moment where time and fate collided with irreversible heart-breaking consequences. Tracing the chilling path marked by vertical arterial spurts, the gruesome scene extended beyond the master bathroom through the bedroom's double doors, across the upstairs TV lounge, and over the landing towards the stairs. It wound past a wine rack, and a row of polished trophies, eerily untouched by the otherwise unwieldy spray of blood. This devastating trail culminated at the bottom of the staircase where a woman, once renowned for her exceptional beauty, lie in a state of utter destruction and distortion, a stark and tragic contrast to her former living self. Because the beautiful, innocent victim was 29-year-old South African former model, TV personality, law school graduate, and so much more, Riva Steenkamp, and the figure standing beside her broken body, stained with blood, was the internationally celebrated Olympic athlete, and three-time Paralympic gold medalist sprinter, 27-year-old Oscar Pistorius. - Oh, shit. - Yeah, I knew that would hit you. - The whole time you were talking, I was like, "What am I supposed to be recognizing here?" I have no idea what's happening. Didn't he just get out of jail? - He did. Yep, which obviously we will circle back to. - Oh, I thought that would be on unhinge or something. - No. - Oh, so I'm excited. Oscar Pistorius, I mean, I know absolutely nothing about this case, except there was like three people involved or something. - You'll find out. - This is the case of a man who went from being a global phenomenon, adoringly known as the Blade Runner, to a ruthless murderer known as the Blade Gunner. - Did anyone know who he was until he killed somebody? - Oh, yeah. - Really? - Oh my God, yeah. He was South Africa's like poster boy. - Oh, okay. - He's a very, very big deal, and the truth is is that what he did was horrific, and he's vile, but what he accomplished is remarkable. - How very American of me do not know everything. - Yeah. - That happens. - That a great look, Tank. - Well, listen, there's this meme, obviously, of like, Americans can't point out European countries, and then it's like, why don't you fucking point out where Oklahoma is on a map, Mr. Italy? - I, you know, I gotta say, though, I listened to a lot of true crime podcasts, and some of them are from hosts that are in the UK. And they know shit about America. They do. - Well, their hosts of a true crime podcast in America is the true crime capital of the world, 'cause they're so crazy. - Okay, let's get into it. Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius was born on November 22nd, 1986, in Stanton, Johannesburg, South Africa, to parents Hank and Sheila in a Christian household. Oscar was born with a congenital condition known as fibular hemomilia, which essentially means that he was born missing the outside of both feet and both fibulae. - The outside of both feet and both fibulae, the bone and the chin. - Yes, shin bone, yep. - Okay. - As such, both legs were amputated below the knees when he was just 11 months old. Six months after this procedure, Oscar was fitted with prosthetics, which allowed him to learn to walk at a very young age in spite of his congenital condition. - Okay, his genitals were conditioned. - Oscar attributes the formation of his personality and life perspective to this period, crediting his family within stealing in him the foundations of his competitive spirit. His parents, particularly his mother, were instrumental in driving him to engage in and excel at various physical activities. Alongside his siblings, Carl and Amy, Oscar was raised under a very strict family ethos. And the phrase was, I can't was simply not permitted. - Yeah, me either. - I know, your dad used to say, I can't means I don't want to. - And how true that is. - Yes. This approach laid a strong foundation to a lifetime of unwavering determination and resilience. In 1993, Oscar's parents wound up getting a divorce and he began seeing less and less of his father. In his early life, prior to the divorce, Oscar's family lived in an enormous house and he and his siblings were spoiled rotten and that's like his phrase. But following the divorce, they were forced to downsize and quote unquote watch their pennies. So life changed for him. - Yeah, drastically. - Despite the significant changes in his family life and the challenge of using prosthetic legs as a very young child, Oscar Pistorius was not slowed down in the least, both in the literal and figurative sense. He won his first sporting trophy at just six years old for wrestling and took up boxing by age nine. As a boy attending Cluff Primary School and later at Pretoria Boys High School, Oscar was a fierce athlete who continued to excel in many different arenas, including rugby, water polo, tennis and Olympic wrestling. - It's got a stud kind of. Huge stud at this point. At the tender age of 15, Oscar faced a profound loss when his mother Sheila passed away due to a viral illness that had initially been misdiagnosed and her death left him distraught. He always saw her as the cornerstone of his world. So during this tumultuous period, he was able to find solace in one thing and one thing only, sports. This context makes it understandable why after sustaining a severe rugby injury that resulted in a broken leg in 2003, I know, Oscar dedicated himself even more intensely to his training. He was determined not only to overcome the setback of his injury, but also to excel in all future endeavors. This journey of recovery, starting with rigorous physiotherapy and intense rehabilitation, eventually led him to track where sprint and running became his chosen path. He also developed a passion for something else, which will rear its head multiple times throughout this case. - Uh-oh. - Papqués. - Aside from sports, what was Oscar's other serious interest or passion? A, leg and foot focused porn, B, guns, C, performance enhancing drugs. - B? - Yeah. - Bullets on the floor. - Well, yeah, but the other two could have. - Well, you also said it will rear its ugly head. Unless you're gonna tell me about some weird fucking leg porn he's into. - I might have. - I mean, this is psychopedia. - Very true. Very true. No, I'm gonna, I think, guns. What was the other one, performance enhancing drugs? - Yeah. - Yeah, no, guns. - Okay, well, you nailed it. - Well, it's right anyway. - Right, exactly. You don't have to. - Stop selling past the point of the sale. - You don't have to defend your right choice (laughs) - With the development of racing blades by South African Francois van der Watt under the guidance of Paralympic sprinter Brian Frazier, Oscar channeled his remarkable athletic talents into racing. So he did develop a passion for guns, but obviously really his soul focused mostly or at least to the public facing side of things, it was racing. Embracing a sporting credo that resonated deeply with his own philosophy, quote unquote, you're not disabled by your disabilities, you're able by your abilities. Oscar officially embarked on his extraordinary journey as the Blade Runner, which that's actually a really profound credo. - Oh yeah. - At this point in Oscar's life, he defied expectations and broke new records left and right. While classified as T43, which is a classification in the Paralympic sports for competitors who have a double below knee amputation or a condition that is physically comparable, he competed in T44 events, demonstrating his unbreakable spirit and determination. - What is T44? - It's designed for track and field athletes who have a disability affecting one or both lower limbs, typically involving leg amputation or limb deficiency. - So he raced in a harder class. - Correct. - And excelled. At the 2004 summer Paralympics and Athens, Oscar Pastoria's outpaced his competitors and shattered the world record in the 200 meter dash. His achievement earned him the title of fastest man on no legs, garnering global acclaim as people celebrated a man who embodied an unbreakable human spirit and the very essence of perseverance. And he only continued to go up from there. In 2005, he won the non-disabled South African Championships in a world record speed of 47.34 seconds over 400 meters. - Wow. - Yeah. - That's fast. - Yes, it is. He also won gold at the Paralympic World Cup in the 100 and 200 meter races, breaking his personal record in the latter. So he's just on fire. - Well, like obviously an 11 second or an 11.5 second 100 meter dash is so like, Usain Bolt runs it in like high nines. - Okay. - So it's a second slower than the fastest man on the planet, but stretch that over 400 meters. - Yeah. - That's insane. - Insane. Then Oscar took gold in the 100, 200 and 400 meter races at the 2006 IPC Athletics World Championships, which is now known as the World Paralympics Championships, including a world record-breaking run over 200 meters. - Life could feel overwhelming, but you don't have to go through it alone. On my podcast, "From the Heart with Rachel Braythan," I share openly and vulnerably about everything life brings us and what we can learn by living with our hearts a little bit more open. Every Friday, a new episode brings you a new story with topics on self-care, motherhood, healing and more. You are enough, just the way you are. This podcast is a reminder of that. Follow and listen to "From the Heart with Rachel Braythan" wherever you get your podcasts. - Despite his impressive string of achievements, Oscar Pistorius' accomplishments were shrouded in controversy and skepticism around this time. This was primarily due to allegations concerning his J-shaped carbon fiber prosthesis, known as the Flexfoot Cheetah. - Cheetah? - Cheetah, like a fast-running cat. - Okay. - Did I say cheetah? - No, no, but I didn't like cheetah also make sense in that if they're saying that he should be using them. - Right, no, it was called the Flexfoot Cheetah. - Yeah, but no matter how bouncy those fucking things are, like, there's still a lot to it. Lots of technique, hip flexors. You know, he's got the top half of his legs, so I can't imagine that they give him that much of an advantage. Many maintain that this provided him with an unfair advantage. In fact, after closely observing Oscar, it was determined by the IAAF, which stands for the International Association of Athletics Federations, that his prosthetics were unfit for major contests, including the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. But Oscar, determined as ever, filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration of Sport, which wound up reversing the ban in a majority rule in May of 2008. However, even though Oscar Pistorius was clear to compete, he actually didn't qualify for the South African Olympic team for the 2008 Games, because his performance in the preceding events did not meet the necessary qualifying times. He did, however, take home three gold medals in the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, and then on August 4, 2012, made history by becoming the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympic Games. - In the Olympics? - Yes. So you said he didn't qualify for the South African team for 2008. How did he run in 2008 in Beijing, then? He didn't qualify for the Olympic team, but he qualified for the Paralympic team in 2008 in Beijing. Okay. And then in 2012, he qualified for the Olympic Games. Oh my God. And he became the first amputee runner to compete in Olympic Games. And he proudly carried the South African flag in the closing ceremony in London and stood as a symbol of triumph and as a legend in athletics. By 2008 to like 2010, Oscar Pistorius became a global icon. He wrote a book titled Dream Runner, competed on the Italian version of Celebrity Survivor. And in 2012 took the stage of dancing with the stars in Rome. - Nice. - He appeared on late night talk shows, took a swing at amateur golf pun intended, and was seen as a man who could quite literally do it all. He became the face of international fashion brands like Nike, Oakley, and Terry Mugler, and also achieved which of the following outstanding honors? - Pop quiz. - A, Thai magazine included him on their list of 100 Most Influential People, where he appeared third in the Heroes and Pioneer's category. - Okay. - He, a presidential award from Jacob Zuma, the president of South Africa at the time, see People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. - Oh, fuck. I'm like having memories of trying to pop through my brain right now and they're just, they're not getting to the top. - Okay, it happens. - They're drowning and gray matter. Time? - Yes. - Okay. - Yes, that was very good. - Okay, so he appeared in Thai magazines, 100 Most Influential People, right? - Yeah, number three on the Heroes and Murder list. - There was just nothing that seemed to be slowing him down or stopping him, and if ever he came across something that sort of stood in his way, he figured out a way to overcome it. Even after being involved in a horrific boating accident on February 21st, 2009, on the Val River, VAL River, and being airlifted to Mill Park Hospital in Johannesburg, where he spent five days in a medically-induced coma and suffered serious head and facial injuries, a broken jaw, a smashed eye socket, and a broken rib. - Aye. - He continued to ascend in life. However, this boating incident was a bit controversial, right, so we got like another kind of questionable situation going on here. - Why was it controversial? - 'Cause he claimed, Oscar claimed, that he inadvertently drove his speedboat, which had about 30 people partying on it, into a submerged tree trunk in the water after being blinded by the sunset, which like caused him to crash. But, various media reports and witnesses all claimed that the crash occurred well past sunset, and that Oscar had been very drunk at the time. - What did he hit into? - He actually hit into. - An iceberg? - No, tank. (laughing) - It's happened before. - An iceberg in South Africa, yeah. - There was this pleasure boat operator, who does not wish to be named, so we're not gonna name him. He maintained that he had a confrontation with Oscar prior to this accident, and that confrontation happened after sunset. So there's no way, according to this witness, that he could have crashed his boat before sunset. Here's the thing to take away from this, a couple of things. - Okay. The pleasure boat operator claimed that Oscar showed him his gun as a threat. - He loves guns. - Yes, this is the picture I'm slowly painting. Oscar allegedly waved his gun around as a threat. - He was like, "Ice cube and boys in the hood." He's like, "Is there a problem here?" - Yeah. - "Is there a problem here?" And just lift up his shirt a little bit and shows the gun and the waistband. - Yeah, exactly, exactly like that. - Great. - So following this boating accident, Oscar faced civil legal proceedings after the family of an injured woman sued him. The details of the lawsuit's resolution are not widely publicized, so the outcome or the verdict, including whether there was a settlement or a court judgment is not clearly documented in public records. But he was never criminally prosecuted and Oscar's public shiny image remained untarnished. - Until, that is, another incident occurred on September 12, 2009 that caused some people to question the quality of Oscar's shine. - You guys got a lot of fucking incidents. - This is what I'm trying to build up, and I'm glad that that's what you're taking away, right? Because there's always a history, there's always a background. Even for Oscar Pistorius, you know what I mean? Even for people who seem to have it all. - Yeah. - Until they don't, their signs. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Because at this point, 22-year-old Oscar Pistorius was arrested following an apparent assault at his silver woods home. And the victim was a student named Cassidy Taylor Memory. Cassidy's friend Melissa was dating Oscar at the time and the couple began to fight with each other at his house party. Oscar demanded that all of Melissa's friends leave the party, including this girl Cassidy, and began violently punching the door until it literally broke apart, causing one of the panels to fly off and hit Cassidy's left leg, which ironically had just come out of a cast following reconstructive surgery on her ankle six weeks earlier. When Cassidy told Oscar that he hurt her, he replied, "Go call your fucking lawyer." She called the police instead. - Good move. - And at around 10 p.m., Oscar was arrested on charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. - This guy's lived too much life at 22. - Exactly, exactly. - You know how old Biggie was when he got killed? - No, wait, can I guess? - Yes. - I was gonna say 21. - 24. - Okay. - DuPac was 25, 25 and 24. These individuals who were larger than life, it's like it's almost like you can't, if you're gonna live that big of a life, you're gonna run out of energy, you're gonna burn out. You're gonna hit some kind of an unnatural end. - Yeah, I wonder if that correlates with a certain personality type, you know what I mean? - That are able to achieve that much of that age. - Exactly, you know? - That's why I'm glad I fucking took me along. - I'm glad I'm still trying. - Yeah. - So after he was arrested on a charge of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, he released a statement indicating that Cassidy had been the one to kick the door, causing it to break and fall on her leg. - Yeah, that seems logical. - He said, and I quote, "I categorically deny that I in any way assaulted the woman." Eventually four years later in December of 2013, the case settled and Oscar paid all of Cassidy's legal fees just months before he would then be put on trial for murder. - Did he pay all of her legal fees and then a settlement? - So that's unclear. - Yeah. - I think paying the legal fees was part of a settlement. - Okay. - By this point though, some damage had been done to Oscar's public profile. The public persona he wore like a shiny perfect mask was beginning to slip to reveal the multifaceted, mostly hidden layers of a less than pristine private existence. - I heard that mask slipping line. I don't remember why I said that to you yesterday. - You said it yesterday and I got excited because it was foreshadowing. - Yes. - This mask drop here. And this dichotomy between what is projected to the world versus the realities that unfold behind closed doors is a phenomenon as old as humanity itself. - Oh yeah. - And in the case of Oscar Pistorius, South Africa's golden boy or really anyone thrust into fame who abruptly shifts from celebrated to shunned. The universe is inviting us to consider the complex and hidden psychological and emotional forces that influence human behavior. So let's accept that invitation and unmask the great Oscar Pistorius. - I'll tell it. - Okay, we started, but now let's really do it. In 2012 following the Olympic Games, Oscar met a beautiful student named Samantha Taylor whom he'd met at a rugby game. According to a signed affidavit by Samantha, obviously after they had broken up, Oscar had mood swings, was a problem when he drank and displayed an enthusiasm for guns. She explained how Oscar had been extremely jealous, possessive and obsessive about her. He once publicly approached and went ballistic on Quentin Vanderberg, a South African born multi-millionaire entrepreneur and television producer who once dated Samantha during the times in which Samantha and Oscar had broken up or were on breaks. And Oscar apparently got up in Quentin's face and said, excuse my language, I'm quoting. Hey, you fucking cunt, you fucking asshole, you fucking sleeping with my girl while I'm fucking running for my country? I'll fuck you up. - I had a great vocabulary on this guy. - No, I should have really gotten into that role. - Oh, you fucking cunt, you fall asleep and with my girl? Or I saw that African accent. I don't know what it, it's Australian, but something else also. - That was pretty good. - Was it though? - I'll fuck you up. - Yeah, something like that. - That was decent. During the same period in September, 2012, another incident unfolded further illustrating a man on an alarming escalating trajectory. - Or the opposite of escalating. - He's going down. - He's going down. - A fast. - What if it's escalating as well? That's crazy. - Yes. - You can escalate and decelerate at the same time. - To decelerate, that would be accelerate versus. You can escalate and downward spiral. - Wow, language is weird. - And language is hard. - Yeah. - Following an altercation with a metro police officer, Oscar discharged his firearm through the sunroof of his vehicle. - What? - Incredibly though, despite rumblings of negativity and a now tarnished facade, not terribly tarnished, given what he's like showing the world at this point. - What rusting rapidly? - We're rusting, but his star was still on the rise. His sponsorships and endorsements continued to roll in and he managed to reaffirm his public image through charity work as well. - Which is probably not great for someone who's in a downward spiral. People keep throwing money at you in accolades. - Yeah. - And just say, "Oh, that shit you're doing is great. Keep it up." - Right. And notably, he was also in love again with a new woman. I am, unfortunately, referring to the late Riva steam camp. Oscar Pistorius first met Riva steam camp on November 4, 2012, through a mutual friend named Justin DeVaris. Their initial encounter over lunch led to an immediate connection and as a last minute whim following this lunch, Oscar almost immediately invited Riva to join him at the South African Sports Awards. She agreed, managing to get ready in just an hour and a half. - Wait, hold on, is that night he asked her to go? - Okay, it moved quickly. But I feel like I can relate to that. Like, you know, you really connect with someone and then they're like, "You want to be my date?" I got this thing. It's the whole last minute and you're like, "Yeah." - Yeah. - Why not? - You go, "You jump in the shower, you got to dress on." And that's it. You know what I mean? - Of course. - And they had pictures together that, I think it's even on getty images. Like, these pictures became like widely available. And it just kind of marked the beginning of their relationship. The following day, Oscar asked Riva out for coffee and basically from there, the pair spent every day together for the next 60s in what was quickly developing into a very intense relationship. According to police captain Francois Mueller, who went through Riva's text messages following her murder, she had 2,731 WhatsApp and I message messages. 1,709 of those messages were between Riva and Oscar over the course of their four-month relationship and included previously deleted information from four cell phones, two iPhones, two blackberries, which were not in use, as well as from two iPads and a MacBook. - Meaning? - A lot of correspondence between them. - Oh, I thought you were gonna say that wasn't like the first six days. I was like, "We're relatable." - Maybe for you. - I sent 1,600, she sent 50. - Now, according to Captain Mueller, about 90% of the messages between Riva and Oscar over the course of their four-month relationship were normal conversations and loving conversations. And those are his words, loving and normal. But the other 10% is what raised red flags and depicts some seemingly serious and alarming issues within their relationship. Because this 10% shed light on Oscar's tendencies toward jealousy, his desire for control and his propensity for snapping at Riva. On January 27, 2013, in a text message containing more than 500 words, which would totally be the length of a text message I would send. - 500 words. - Yeah, I can't keep things quick either. - Oh, she wrote a 500 word text message? - Yes. In that text message, she said, and this is a direct quote, "I'm scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and how you will react to me. You have picked on me excessively. I do everything to make you happy and to not say anything to rock the boat with you. You do everything to throw tantrums in front of people. You make me happy 90% of the time. And I think we are amazing together. But I'm not some other bitch trying to kill your vibe. I'm the girl who fell in love with you. But I'm also the girl who gets sidesteped when you're in a shit mood. I get snapped at and told my accent and voices are annoying." End quote. Another lengthy message went on to discuss how Riva wasn't happy with Oscar for causing a scene at her good friend's engagement party and leaving early in a fit of jealous rage. Riva was upset that Oscar had criticized her for the way she spoke and for chewing gum. And he snapped at her when she stroked his neck and forced her to leave early from this party after accusing her of touching another man's arm while openly flirting with him. Riva in her text message to Oscar about this incident wrote, "I was not flirting with anyone today. I feel sick that you suggested that and you made a scene at the table and you made us leave early. I'm terribly disappointed in how the day ended and how you left me. We are living in a double standard relationship where you can be mad about how I deal with stuff when you are very quick to act cold and office when you're unhappy. From the outside, I think it looks like we are a struggle and maybe that's what we are. I just want to love and be loved, be happy and make someone else happy. Maybe we can't do that for each other 'cause right now I know you aren't happy and I'm certainly very unhappy and sad. But then responses came from Oscar's phone later that day apologizing and asking if he could call Riva. And he said, "I want to sort this out. I don't want to have anything less than amazing for you and I. I'm sorry for the things I say without thinking and for taking offense to some of your actions." And the last message I'll read was from February 8, 2013, six days before Riva's murder, following another tumultuous night out. And Riva said, "I regard myself as a lady and I don't feel like one tonight after the way you treated me when we left. I'm a person too and I appreciate that you invited me out tonight and I realize that you get harassed but I'm trying my best to make you happy. And I feel as though you sometimes never are no matter the effort I put in. I can't be attacked by outsiders for dating you and be attacked by you. The one person I deserve protection from." - Still a legitimate request. - It is. It is. Now, there's a lot of emphasis placed on the 1700 text messages because to many, including the prosecution that ultimately tried this case, these text messages provide a glimpse into a volatile, emotionally abusive relationship in which Oscar is seen as controlling, jealous, hot tempered, overly critical and possessive. Though the defense did ultimately stress the point that the overwhelming majority of the 1700 text messages between Riva and Oscar were loving. And again, according to the analyzing investigator, about 90% of their text messages were fine. - That only works if 90% of them are fine and the other 10% are just not 100% perfect. If the 90% are fine and 10%, he's like, I'm gonna fucking kill you, you're a piece of shit, I hate you. It supersedes percentages at that point. - Exactly. - percentages don't matter. - Exactly. In analyzing the text messages, right, it's crucial to recognize that the communication of relationship concerns and feelings through texts in and of itself is not inherently unusual, right? It's like a lot of people were like, the fact that these text messages existed was like a problem. Like they were fighting in text messages, but people communicate all the time in text messages. Couples tell each other how they feel all the time and they're not always gonna be feeling great. - And text messaging is, if you're in a heated discussion, the worst form of communication. - It is, but what's deeply concerning and alarming about these 10% of the text messages is the substance of what Riva was saying. Riva expressing fear of Oscar, suggesting apprehension about his reactions and potential to snap, elevates the conversation beyond mere expressions of annoyance that can be found in most typical relationships to something different. It's one thing for a partner to say, I hate when you act like a dick, for example, right? And it's entirely another thing to express a fear of someone's volatile reactions. I have a pop quiz. - Sure. - Because it's very common for people to argue in text messages, right? That's not what we're sort of highlighting as being the issue. What we're highlighting is the substance of what Riva was saying when they were arguing. But in any event, what is the term for fighting, arguing, or having confrontations via text, like the slang? - Wow, okay. - A, "Fexting." B, "Confront texting." C, "Hate texting." - I've never heard any of those three. - Funny, I was like, he's gonna get this. This is like his wheelhouse. - "Fexting." - "Confront texting," or "Hate texting." - "Confront texting." - No, I made that one up. - That's pretty good. - "Hate texting." - Nope, me, that one up too. - "Fexting." - Yeah, "Fexting." It's like "Sexing," but "Fexting" for fighting. - Terrible, it should not, that word should not exist. - It does exist, however. - Well, I'd like to undo that. - Okay, undo. - Well, only a petition for that word to be banished from. And the texting thing, so I've been on this, you know, journey of technology, like I was an early adapter always. I actually remember, I don't know if people are gonna remember this, I had a next tell. And when I would text somebody back on a next tell, it would include like half of their conversation back to them so that you'd know like what the hell was being said. - Okay. - So then it would go back and forth and back and forth and it was just like so confusing. It's such a bad way to help keep track of the text, like just make a thread, but that's not possible. Wasn't possible at that time, but I remember realizing like, especially with men asking for nudes of a woman that they meet online, that would never happen in real life. I shouldn't say it would never happen, but like the ease with which men say, "Well, I'm gonna see you text." After three texts meeting on a dating app, like can you imagine if somebody did that in a supermarket, like meeting them in 30 seconds later, they're like, "Pull your pants down and see your ass." - Oh, so you're saying people become what? More like bold, right, more forward. - Unnecessarily bold. - Yeah, well, it's just like a keyboard warrior sentiment. - But that's fighting over texting too, like you wind up saying things and not only so the real problem with fighting, the real problem with texting is that when you're fighting, you're elevated, you're adrenaline's going, you're upset, you're reading the text through your lens and assuming that that person is saying everything, how you would say it and that's not always the case. It's just so bad. - Yo, that's like, what did you show me that? - Can I peel? - Yes, yes. - Do I want to go right now? This motherfucker. Yeah, yeah, can peel texting, Google, YouTube. - Google it guys, it's very funny. - Yeah, Tank showed this to me a couple of weeks ago and it reminds me of that, right? Like you said, your only viewing text message is through your own lens. - Misconstrued. - Right, but the point is, right, at least my point, is that with the 10% of the messages that we're not loving between Oscar and Riva, the intensity and the fear in those 10% crushes the fact that 90% was loving. Because like I said, it wasn't her just saying, you're an asshole, you were a dick tonight. It was like, I'm afraid of you. You, you, I'm terrified you're going to snap. You humiliated me. You know, you put me down, you insult me. - Publicly. - Right. - Yeah, it's not great. - So these messages also, when viewed as part of the larger context of Oscar bestorias' behavior, just paint a very, very disturbing picture. They're not just isolated expressions of relationship woes, but rather are indicative of a much more troubling dynamic, hinting at deeper issues and pattern of behavior. The context transforms the text messages from simple relationship grievances into significant red flags and underscores the seriousness of the situation that indeed existed between Oscar and Riva before the tragic night of her murder. Also, when combined with other red flags that seem to be popping up for Oscar and of course looking through the clear lens of hindsight, since we're talking about reading things through lenses, we can see that Riva has- - As I put my glasses on. - As you put your lenses on, we can see that Riva had every right to feel scared. And one of these other red flags popped up in January of 2013, just weeks before the murder, because Oscar bestorias was involved in another gun-related incident, at a place called Tasha's Restaurant in Johannesburg, South Africa. During the meal, Oscar was handed a glauque under the table by his friend, Darren Fresco. - We're kind of friend, hey man, get the veal. - Is that your guns, I feel? Or are you excited to see me? So during the meal, this guy hands him a glauque under the table and he informs Oscar that the glauque was loaded with a round in the chamber. While Oscar was given the firearm, it discharged, firing a bullet into the restaurant floor, which not only caused public panic, among the patrons, understandably, but narrowly missed hitting a person nearby who did suffer minor injuries from the ricochet. - Oh, ricochet off the floor? - Yeah, and it hurt someone, minor, but still. - I mean, yeah, it's too many incidents, dude. Your love of guns, there's people who Jim Jeffries, a comedian had a really funny bit about Americans and guns. And he's like, the only excuse or reason I ever want to hear from people of why they have 20 guns is, or the only one that makes any sense to me is, "Fuck you, I like guns." And I just, I like guns, I like them. I'm not like, I'm not forming a militia. I'm, it's not for second amendment exercise and make sure, like, you have the right to bear arms. Like, if you have 20 guns, it's your past, the second amendment point. - Yeah. - You know what I mean? But it's okay to like guns. Like, I don't own a ton of guns, but I like guns. They're interesting, the mechanics of it, you know. - Right. - That kind of-- - I get it. - Absolutely. - Like, that's not what Oscar Pistorius is. - That's not exactly, that's not at all what's happening here. So in the aftermath of that gun shot, it was reported that Oscar and his friends tried to cover up the incident. (laughing) - By coughing? (laughing) - Sorry, I was just a really, I have bronchitis. - Okay. - They allegedly asked another friend to take responsibility for the accidental discharge to avoid the legal consequences that Oscar might have faced. This incident was later brought to light during Oscar's trial for murder of Riva and served as an example of his reckless behavior with firearms and his penchant for lying. Because Oscar sent Riva the following text message as well. Angel, please don't say a thing to anyone. Darren told everyone it was his fault. I can't afford for that to come out. The guy's promise not to say a thing. In spite of trying to cover up his involvement with mishandling a firearm and jeopardizing public safety, Oscar was indeed charged later on with the illegal discharge of a firearm in a public place. So what are we seeing here, right? The progression of a passionate gun enthusiast and irresponsible gun owner. - It's a progression of recklessness. - Yes, yes it is. With the history of prior charges and allegations of losing control to someone who resorts to deceit and coercion while placing his frightened girlfriend in a compromising position. - It's such a terrible combo. Those two things existing in one person, lack of respect for environment, a bad horrific temper. It's just, it's not good. - No. During this time, Oscar would regularly frequent gun ranges and take pictures that not only showcase his familiarity with firearms, but also highlighted how solid of a marksman he is. A video was shown in court. You can also find it on YouTube where Oscar's seen firing. I think it's a shotgun. I don't know, I don't know guns. Looks like a shotgun. I do know that the bullets inside that gun, I believe were the same bullets used in Reva's murder, but it wasn't the same gun, but in any event. - Why do you think it's a shotgun? - 'Cause it looks like one, visually, to me. - It's like long. - Shotgun is something that shoots typically. I mean, there's slugs which are all typical bullets, but shotgun will like shoot out BBs almost. - Oh, it shot out hollow point bullets. - No. - Okay. - That's probably not a shotgun. - Okay. - I'm just a regular rifle. - It's you. Knowledgeable. - I got glasses on, so I got a no stuff. - So you see him in this video, and he shot at a watermelon that exploded after he shot it right in the center. And then you hear Oscar remark, it's a lot softer than brain, but fuck, it's like a zombie stopper, as like all the people around him start cheering. - Weird. - So the prosecution brought this up down the line during trial to say like, did you typically envision blowing up somebody's brain when you were shooting at a watermelon? You know, they're just trying to show like where his mind is. Oscar also kept a nine millimeter pistol underneath his bed purportedly out of a strong fear he had of intruders after previous burglaries and death threats, despite the fact that he lived in a residential estate with 24 hours of security. - But. - Yeah, paranoia knows no balance. - That's right. And it was this pistol that he reached for in the early hours of Valentine's Day when he claims to have heard a noise from the bathroom that he thought was an intruder. (upbeat music) So now we're at the point of the case, where we're at the heartbreaking crescendo, which of course is the horrific murder of Revosteen Camp. There's what Oscar Pistoria said happened and then there's what actually happened. So Oscar admitted to firing four shots through the locked door of a bathroom in his home using his license, Torres P2-9-2, nine millimeter Parabell and pistol. - What you just said sounded like oatmeal in my head. I have no idea where you-- - I also said it wrong. - Did you? - It was PT-9-2, nine millimeter Parabell and pistol. It's a nine millimeter. - So let's do that with that. - And when he shot this pistol four times through the bathroom door, it resulted in Riva being fatally struck in the head, arm and hip. And when this happened and word got out, the world went bananas. - Remember that. - The case quickly became a media sensation with extensive coverage in both South African and international news outlets. Many news organizations sent reporters to cover the trial because they allowed TV cameras and reporters inside the courtroom for most of the trial and people around the globe were tweeting from athletes, actors, musicians, legal analysts to your mother and mine, not really, but trying to say everybody was doing it. - Mom, did you tweet about Oscar Pistoria? - Yeah, Mom, did you? In fact, it was through a tweet the day after Riva's murder that the world learned about Riva's connection to François Hougard, who was a member of the South African National Rugby Union team who had allegedly been a point of contention in one of Oscar and Riva's fights. Pop quiz. Who was the individual who posted a tweet regarding the alleged relationship between Riva and François, which was believed to have triggered jealousy on Oscar's part? A, Brian Frazier, American prosthesis and Paralympic sprinter who lost to Oscar at the 2007 Paralympic World Cup, B, Charlize Theron, Hollywood mega actress, or C, Nelson Mandela's former personal assistant, Zelda Lagrange. - Charlize Theron. - Nope. Are you sure? - Yeah, I'm sure. - Brian Frazier? - Nope. - Nelson Mandela's assistant? - Yes. - Something? - Why do I find this mind-blowing? I had to include it somewhere in this case. She tweeted, "Have you heard rumors about a rugby player alleged to be involved somehow? We all have." And this is bizarrely how it all first came to light that there was this fight between Riva and Oscar about Riva's involvement with François. So we know that he shot through the door four times. He admitted to it immediately. But it's the rationale or intent behind Oscar's decision to open fire that became the focal point of his intense seven-month-long publicly-broadcasted murder trial that began on March 3, 2014 in Pretoria. Oscar Pretoria's faced four charges, one for murder and three separate counts on the contravention of the Firearms Control Act. Because remember, they were including in this trial, or I don't know if I mentioned it yet, I'll tell you now, they were including in this trial, the incidents where he shot a bullet through the sunroof of his car, and the Glock 27 pistol incident at the restaurant. - So they're just trying to get him on being irresponsible with guns, basically? - They're adding those charges, yeah. There were 107 state witnesses who the prosecution could potentially have called to give evidence during the trial. The list contained a litany of Oscar's neighbors from the Silverwood Estates, several of his friends and ex-girlfriends, as well as Rivas friends. Meanwhile, the defense secured their own expert witnesses, including the evidence room, which is an American forensic animation firm based in Cleveland, Ohio, that specializes in recreating crime scenes in 3D mapping. In terms of the South African legal system, so I just wanna talk about it for a minute, 'cause it's different from the American legal system tank. It's influenced by a mixture of Roman Dutch law and the British common law system, and it operates within a comprehensive constitutional framework. In the system, criminal trials for severe cases like this one are conducted primarily by the high courts. Criminal trials are officiated by a presiding officer, such as a judge or a magistrate, depending on the severity of the crime. Interestingly, South Africa does not have a jury system, as it was abolished in 1969. Instead, the concept of a jury has been replaced by a system of assessors. So the judge can request to be joined by one or two assessors who provide expertise on specific matters, but do not decide on the verdict. The judge is responsible for evaluating the evidence presented, determining guilt or innocence, and if necessary and found guilty handing down a sentence. - What was the case that we did where they did that? - The pink panty predator. - Oh, yeah, that's right. - In Germany. - Yeah, they called them judges, right? There was like multiple like lay judges and other-- - Yeah, the Schofen. - Schofen. - I think I'm probably pronouncing it wrong as many people messaged me to tell me. But-- - Oh, it sounds good to me. - Yeah. Okay, so let's start with the defense's version of what happened on the night of Riva's murder. So remember, the focus of this trial, more or less was on Oscar's intent, since he confessed to firing the shots that killed Riva. According to Oscar's testimony, he woke up on the night of February 14th, 2013, and went on to the balcony of his home to retrieve two fans while Riva slept in their bed. Then he heard a noise from the bathroom, which he believed to have been a window opening. - Oh, God. - Thinking there was an intruder, he approached the bathroom with his firearm in hand after first retrieving it from under the bed. So inconsistency number one that I see here, if he claims that Riva was sleeping in bed during this time, but then he went to his bed to grab his gun, wouldn't he have seen that she was not in fact in bed? - Was it dark? - I mean, can't you tell if somebody's not in bed? If you're on the bed, like, you know what I mean? - Devil's advocate, if it's like a thick blanket and it's bunched up from what you got, I don't know. I'm not, you know, when you said what you just said about him thinking he heard somebody, I don't know enough about it at this point. Obviously, and I probably never will, 'cause I'm not gonna look into this. I already know everything I need to know from you, but he's bad with guns, obviously we know that. He's a little bit trigger happy. Is it possible that he heard somebody? I mean, I don't know. - Well, Oscar indicated that he was in a fearful state since he was on his stumps, those are his words, not mine. Okay, so he felt that he was unable to physically defend himself or Riva, which prompted him to then go on the offense. - Yeah. - So he approached the bathroom, stood in front of the closed door and discharged his firearm four times. The basis of the prosecution's case, which was led by prosecutor Harry Nell, who was nicknamed by the way the Pitbull, which he must have been adorable, was that Riva and Oscar had a late night argument and that Riva fled to the bathroom in fear of her angry boyfriend. - Also very plausible. - Five neighbors who lived near Oscar's house, testified as ear witnesses for the state that they heard the sound of a woman screaming coming from Oscar's home at around 3 a.m. Followed by four distinct cracks of gunfire, followed by silence. - Okay, so yeah, that thing is sharing an intruder is less believable now. - Prosecutors argued that this confirmed that the couple had been arguing before the gunshots. The basis of the defense's case, however, which was led by Attorney Barry Roo, was that the screams heard by the neighbors actually occurred after the gunshots and that they came from Oscar after he realized what he had mistakenly done. And that the bangs that they heard were a result of Oscar hitting the door with the cricket bat to get to Riva. Moreover, Barry Roo called to the stand other neighbors who lived closer to Oscar's house than the neighbors who testified on behalf of the state. And they said that the screaming sounded like it was coming from a man. Roo also brought in a sound engineer who testified that if Riva had indeed been in the bathroom with the window closed as it was found to be, then the neighbors who testified that they heard a woman screaming could not have possibly have heard screams or gunshots because they lived 190 meters away, which I guess according to the sound engineer would have been too far for them to have heard what they claim to have heard. So as you can imagine, right, there's a shit ton of evidence presented at the trial coming from every direction. - He could have ran from his house to his neighbors house so fast. - What? - He was sick at the 200 meter. - Why was he running to a neighbor's house? - Nothing to worry about, nothing to worry about. I know the commotion is just, we gotta figure it out though. Yeah, he should have liked, like Sonic. - Great. - So there's another key piece of evidence that was presented by the state pathologist to testify that the food found in Riva's stomach, which obviously he found during the autopsy was consumed more than two hours prior to her death, which put her awake and eating at about one a.m., which is contrary to Oscar's contention that he and Riva had been asleep in bed for hours. - Okay. - They also presented evidence reflecting that at 3.19 a.m., Oscar placed a call to the manager of his gated community, a man named John Standard, to come and help him. Standard and his daughter, Karis, were among the first people to arrive at Oscar's house following the shooting. And John's testimony was significant because it provided an account of Oscar's immediate reactions and actions after the event. - Yeah. - And John Standard testified that when he arrived, Oscar was broken, desperate, and in a state of shock, pleading for help to assist Riva. This portrayal was critical in shaping the defense's narrative that the shooting was a tragic accident and not a premeditated murder. - Hey, a thought. - Yes. - Whether he intended to or not, firing four shots into a bathroom is just more of the same from this guy. Like you should-- - He was attempting to kill someone. - Yeah, instead of saying hey, are you in there? - Right. - Who's in there? Oh, Oscar, it's just me. Okay, I won't discharge four bullets into the fucking door. - If the door was closed, which it was, he said it was and it was proven to be closed. Why not Riva up and say, hey, there's somebody in the bathroom? - Listen, people think we can't, again, like we say this all the time, we can't say what we would do in the situation or what people should have done. However, I'm standing by the point that this guy's, we say it all the time, like maybe not a bad person, maybe a bad person, not up for, that's not the discussion we're having, but just too dangerous to be around other people. - Right, right. I just think that, I guess the point I was trying to make is right, I'm not trying to suggest people, like there's a right and a wrong way to act, although there is, there's a wrong way. You don't fire, you don't unload your fucking gun into the bathroom because you hear a noise. - That's something Oscar Pastoreus would do. - Yeah. - Like I have a shotgun from my house and I am like very aware of the fact that walls are thin and the last thing I ever want, like the reason I got it was because it's loud as fuck. - Yeah. - And if I click, clack that thing, all I wanna hear is footsteps, I don't wanna get into a gun fight in my fucking house with my kids, you know, a few pieces of sheet rock away. - Right, right. - I do. - So then firing a gun into that bathroom is just insane behavior, regardless. - Right, so I just wanna bring something up right, 'cause I mentioned that obviously the defense is trying to suggest that he acted to protect himself and Riva and the prosecution is trying to allege that it was a premeditated murder. When the court uses the term premeditated, they're not necessarily referring to a long, drawn out, calculated plan of murder. Premeditation does not require a long period of planning. It can happen over a relatively short period, even moments or minutes before the act. The key aspect is the existence of a deliberate decision to kill, made prior to the act itself. So presumably a man who goes to get his gun situates himself in front of the door, which is shut, has that time to reflect on whether or not he should pull the trigger four times. - Yeah. - That's premeditation. Putting an intent aside for just a moment, whether it was premeditated in the moments leading up to Riva's murder or just a terrible accident. Here's exactly how this tragic incident unfolded. Riva's scene camp was standing in what South Africans call a toilet cubicle and facing the closed door when she was hit in the right hip by the first of four hollow-point bullets according to police ballistics expert Captain Chris Mangena. Riva crossed her arms over her head to protect herself and fell back onto a magazine holder in the bathroom before being struck in the right arm and head by the last two shots fired by Oscar through the door. Captain Mangena testified that he believed the second bullet shot missed Riva and ricocheted off a wall inside the cubicle and broken to fragments, which caused bruising on her back. He concluded through his analysis of the shooting scene and wounds on Riva's body from the post-mortem that one of the final two bullets went through Riva's left hand before penetrating her skull as she held it over her head. The forensic pathologist who conducted her autopsy, Professor Gert Samen, indicated that the hip wound would have caused almost immediately instability and it was likely that Riva would not have been able to get back up on her own. That injury alone came with a 50/50 chance of survival. The injury to her right arm would have been also devastating, essentially breaking and shattering her upper right arm and eliminating functionality. And the one to her skull would have led to instantaneous death, although it's possible that she could have taken a couple of breaths before ultimately passing away. - Trying to think, I mean, he was right there. So if it was an accident and he didn't hit her in the head, she probably wouldn't have bled out, but like if you get, I mean, if you shot twice. - She would have and I'll tell you why. The type of ammunition that- - Oh, the Hollywood. - That he used also played a part in the devastation. So black talent or Ranger ammunition, which is what he used is designed to open up, flatten out and mushroom when striking human tissue. - Yeah. - The usual result is that it folds out like the petals of a flower. And this ammunition is specifically designed by the manufacturer to have very sharp jagged edges. This projectile was designed to cause maximum damage. In fact, they say that when surgeons operate on people who are struck by this bullet, they have to be very careful that they don't slice off a finger during the procedure. - Why? - Because it's so jagged edges. It's just designed to tear someone apart. - Yeah, that's like cartel shit. - Yes, exactly. In the high-profile trial concerns about police tampering arose that I have to bring up. - Or, oh my God, I just realized something. Or the hollow point hit the door, mushroomed, and then went into the body like that, which is like even worse. - Why is that worse? - Because it's not going in and then exploding, it's going in already. - Oh, yeah. - Oh, God, that's poor woman. - I know. - So concerns about police tampering arose during the trial mostly due to the actions of someone named Hilton Bota, a former lead detective in the case, whose credibility was questioned due to alleged mishandling of evidence and contradictions in his statements. The defense used these concerns to cast doubt on the integrity of the evidence, alleging tampering at the crime scene, particularly involving Oscars prosthetic legs and the bathroom door. As a result, Bota was eventually removed from the case. While there definitely does seem to be merit to these accusation of police misconduct or tampering with evidence, it did not change the crux of the case or interfere with what counts for determining guilt or innocence. So even if there was police tampering in the way that the defense was suggesting there was, it does not actually change what needed to be considered when determining whether or not he was guilty of murder. - Yeah. So he said he was on his stumps. - Yes. - That's what he said. - That's what she said. So I was trying to figure out if she got hit in the hip and then stumbled and went even lower, how did she get hit again? Like how did she get hit in the head? 'Cause I'm ostensibly someone is standing up by the door and they're shooting straight into it, not shooting down and then up, but he's like a foot and a half lower than he normally would be. So that's why she got shot in the hip and that's when when she buckled down, she got shot in the head. - Correct. - Oh my God. - Yep. You should work for crime scene analysis right there. - I might start recreating murders with 3D imaging. I don't even know that with a job. - Yeah, of course it is. I'll help. - Good to know. - So Oscar took the stand and testified for seven days at his trial during which he cried and uncontrollably vomited repeatedly, showcasing a perhaps calculated combination of remorse and vulnerability. - I don't know if that's calculated. - I don't know if it was calculated either, but Harry Nell, who was the prosecutor, certainly painted a picture that it was calculated or that it was coming from a place of not authenticity or feeling of loss or like, oh my God, poor Riva, but self-serving because he said to Oscar, and this is a quote, you're getting emotional now because you're getting frustrated because your version of events is improbable. - Yeah. - Ooh, what a sick burn. Oscar issued an apology to Riva's distraught parents, June and Barry Steenkamp, who attended every single day of the trial and indicated the following. This is now Oscar. I cannot imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness that I have caused you and your family. I was simply trying to protect Riva. I can promise that when she went to bed that night, she felt loved. The defense also tried to argue that Oscar had generalized anxiety disorder that was heightened or triggered by high crime rates in South Africa, which made him hyper-vigilant and overreactive and crucially armed when he felt like he was in danger. But the prosecution annihilated this argument by showing that generalized anxiety disorder didn't diminish his responsibility or constitute mental illness, meaning he was still criminally responsible for Riva's death, even if he has generalized anxiety disorder. After 19 hours of psychological analysis by psychologist Jonathan Schultz, who also interviewed 16 people closest to Oscar, it was determined by Schultz that Oscar had a split personality or what he referred to as two Oscars. He described it as follows. The one is a vulnerable, scared, disabled person and the other is a strong physical person achieving beyond expectation. And since he was not wearing his prosthetics, at the time in which he allegedly thought that an intruder was in his bathroom, he felt vulnerable, more so than a typically abled person would have. So that's the lower standard that the defense thinks he should be held to. But the bottom line was that he was deemed not insane and thus still criminally liable. So at this point in the case, 193 days after the trial began, it's judgment day. And Oscar was heaving and had mucus literally running down his face. When Judge Tokazella Masipa, after consulting with two assessors, carefully made her way towards her chair and without any introduction, ran through her summary findings before delivering the following verdict. Not guilty of murder. And this is what she said. Viewed in its totality, the evidence failed to establish that the accused had their requisite intention to kill the deceased, let alone with premeditation. I am here talking about direct intention. Okay, so that's murder. By the way, many people in the legal arena felt that this judge missed the mark on this ruling and that she didn't correctly interpret or apply the law, all right? But in any event, here we are, not guilty of murder. But then the judge delivered the following verdict. Guilty of culpable homicide. So culpable homicide refers to negligence. It's like manslaughter. And the judge went on to say this. The accused had reasonable time to reflect, to think and to conduct himself reasonably. On the facts of this case, I am not persuaded that a reasonable person with the accused disability in the same circumstances would have fired four shots into that small toilet cubicle. He failed to take any step to guard against the resultant death. I am of the view that the accused acted too hastily and used excessive force. In the circumstances, it is clear that his conduct was negligent. In terms of the other charges, he was found not guilty of the sunroof incident. Guilty of the restaurant incident. And not guilty of having illegal possession of ammunition. That was the fourth charge. Is it not illegal to own hollow-point bullets? I guess not. Evidently not. OK, so. On October 21, 2014, Oscar Pistorius was handed a maximum prison sentence of five years for culpable homicide, as well as a concurrent three-year suspended prison sentence for the separate reckless endangerment conviction. But then in October 2015, after serving about one year in prison, Oscar was released on house arrest and continued to serve the remainder of his sentence under correctional supervision. Until December 2015, this case has so many twists and turns, I swear, when the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa overturned the culpable homicide verdict and found Pistorius guilty of murder. Did he have another trial or they just went back and looked at? This was on appeal, so they just went back. OK. In July 2016, he was resentanced to six years in prison for murder. And that sentence was later increased to 13 years and five months in November of 2017, after the state appealed, arguing that the initial six-year sentence was too lenient. 13 years now for murder. But not because he got out. Well, the most recent update is that last month, which was January 5, 2024. It's like marking something up and then saying it's 50% off. I just fucking say what it is. Say what the jacket costs. Are you saying I should have just said what? No, no, I'm talking about the way they handled the sentence. Oh, yeah. This jacket was $200. Now it's $70 then. Yo, you know what that reminds me of? Fucking toilet paper or paper towels. 24 equals 12, large, extra-large rules. But I have no idea what you're saying. What measurement of toilet paper are you? How many rules am I getting at what cost? I don't want to know how many I could have in an ideal world. Or if it was mega, I'm not getting mega. So what am I getting and paying for? God, just tell me what it is. So again, last month on January 5, 2024, Oscar Pistorius was in fact released. Until his sentence expires in 2029, he will live under very strict rules confined to the home for certain hours of the day, as well as banning him from drinking alcohol. He was like on parole. Yeah, a big fucking whoop, right? He's believed to have gone to live at the home of his uncle Arnold Pistorius in a very well-off suburb of Pretoria. He's also not permitted to speak to the media. And in addition, Oscar will be required to have therapy to help deal with issues around gender-based violence and anger, because, lest we forget, that an innocent woman died at the hands of her partner. Gender-based violence, or GBV, is a very serious and pervasive issue in South Africa. Sadly, the country has one of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the world. According to a study by the South African Medical Research Council, about 51% of South African women have experienced violence at the hands of someone with whom they are in a relationship. 51%. That's crazy. Do they maybe define violence differently? No. I'm just trying to figure out how it's so high. No, I'm not saying, like, define it differently, but I'm saying, like, if somebody was, you know, if they dated somebody 12 years ago, who they got into a little shoving match in a doorway, do Americans not count that as violence? I don't know. I do know what you're saying. And I think it's a good question. You're really getting into the weeds, which I like. I don't have an answer. But I don't also want to get-- I was going to say I also don't want to get into the weeds. Like, if somebody's defining something as violence in a relationship-- that's-- yeah. I believe it. Yeah. Additionally, the South African police service reported that in 2019, 2020, there were over 42,000 rapes reported, which, by the way, is a figure that's likely underrepresented due to the possibility or the likelihood that not everybody reports it. The situation is further exacerbated by socioeconomic factors in South Africa with many incidents of GBV linked to poverty, unemployment, and substance abuse. The South African government has recognized GBV as a crisis, initiating various measures and national dialogues to combat the issue. However, the persistence of GBV highlights the need for more effective implementation of policies, greater societal change, and continuous support for victims, always. I'd like to leave off this case, as always, on highlighting and honoring the late Revustine Camp, the victim of this case, of course, because she really was remarkable. She was born on August 19, 1983, and she made a significant impact in her short life. She held a law degree from the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and was an advocate for women's rights, often speaking out against domestic abuse. Her vibrant personality and intelligence led her to a very successful modeling career as she appeared in numerous international advertising campaigns and was an FHM cover star. Riva also used her platform to inspire others and worked as a presenter for the television show Tropica Island of Treasure. Beyond her professional achievements, she was known for her kind-hearted nature, her infectious smile, and her passion for making a positive difference in the world. Riva's legacy continues to resonate reminding us of her contributions to society and the importance of continuing the fight against gender-based violence. Her life, though tragically cut short, should continue to serve as an inspiration for many. And finally, in the poignant words of Riva's mother, June, she said this, has there been justice for Riva? Has Oscar served enough time? There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Riva back. We, who remain behind, are the one serving a life sentence. My only desire is that I will be allowed to live my last years in peace with my focus remaining on Riva Rebecca Steincamp Foundation to continue Riva's legacy. And this foundation works to educate and empower women and children against violence and abuse. So I want to highlight that foundation. And perhaps direct people there, if anybody's looking to honor Riva's memory and help in the fight against violence and abuse towards women and children. Or if you need resources. Absolutely, yes, well said. And that's the case, man. Wow, that's, I feel like, is that Pistorius, like we've never heard it before? Like, do you know way more about this than anybody that's ever been alive on this planet? Am I the leading expert? (laughing) It's late. Well, let me tell you this, right? Yeah. There's still a lot more that I could have said that I just don't have the time or capacity to include in one episode. I probably probably honestly could have done a series on this, 'cause there's so many different players that were involved, trial was fascinating and long and detailed. And both sides brought to the table interesting food for thought. I could also go off on a thousand tangents about so many big issues that this case highlights. So in that vein, I did my best actually to keep it concise. But I read a lot of really fascinating books. I read a lot of articles. I watched a lot of the trial. I watched documentaries. I downloaded or uploaded. I'm like the matrix. I feel like when I prep for these cases, one of my favorite scenes in the matrix is when Neo is on the phone with Trinity and he's like, "Do you know how to fly a helicopter?" And she goes, "Not yet." And then she triggers in and like 10 seconds later after uploading the knowledge. She's like, "I can't know." That's how it feels with these cases. Like, I didn't know anything about Oster Pistorias, but what a absolutely tragic, but also in terms of human behavior and watching that escalation and seeing red flags fascinating case. - I like his last name. I like Pistorias, but I also love Pretoria. It reminds me of Peoria, Illinois. And I just want to say that those Pretoria and Peoria, like I would move to Peoria, knowing nothing about it just because I like it. - Because of the name? - Yeah, I like it so much. - I live in truth or consequences if I was gonna pick a place based on name. - I live in Medicine Hat. - Oh, good wine. The sunniest place in cat or whatever the fuck. - Very good. - Her use. You remembering random shit from past cases? - It's the phosphodidyl serene, baby. - It's the Catalina one mixer. (laughing) - Oh man, well. - Thanks for sitting through that tank. That was, um. - That was the, - Choose your next words wisely. That's all I'm gonna say. - That was the longest case. That was the least hard to sit through. - I'll take it. - I didn't even ask you how many pages were left. - Yo, you did it. - I know. That was a great case. - Great. - Very interesting. - Okay, good. - And I love, you know what I love? And then we'll wrap it up. I love filling in the gaps on something that I'm familiar with and interested in, but too lazy to like really look into and actually not that interested. I'm not interested enough to dig into it myself. But I am curious about it. So to have something like that where, you know. It's like when I stumble upon a history channel thing and I'm like, oh, this is probably boring. I'm almost too lazy to change it and then I'm just enthralled. (laughing) - Yeah. - Well, I'm glad that you liked it. - Yeah, I loved it. - Thank you. - I loved it a lot. - Hope our listeners learn something if they knew this case already and if they didn't, then, you know, now you do. - Yeah, exactly. Well, great job to you. Even better job to me. - As always, you carried all the weight here. - Yeah, super humble about it too. And I would just like to say that if you made it this far, you're a real one. And we'll see you guys in the next episode. - Thank you for listening. - Bye. (upbeat music) [BLANK_AUDIO]