Pretoria: Lawyers and legal academics expressed surprise at the dismissal of murder charges against Oscar Pistorius Thursday, with critics saying judge Thokozile Masipa had been too lenient.
“I’m shocked,” said criminal lawyer Martin Hood, after Masipa said the prosecution had not made the case for murder or premeditated murder.
“I think she’s going to get quite a lot of criticism from the judiciary and the legal system,” said the Johannesburg-based lawyer.
“The consensus is that she hasn’t got it right.”
“The consensus among the legal community was that he is guilty of murder. This could really open the door to systematic abuse of our legal system by people who shoot their partners and claim self-defence.”
“If someone can shoot in an irresponsible manner, and even in a negligent manner and not be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, then it means that we are not able to use the law to address violent crime.” he added. The paralympic sprinter could yet be convicted on a lesser charge of culpable homicide, or the negligent killing of Reeva Steenkamp.
