Griekwastad Trial: Murder of the Steenkamp Family

[Gibson]

"I see a lot of violent injuries... an overkill in my opinion," testified pathologist Lemaine Fouche of the Northern Cape health department.

Overkill relates to the psychological state of an offender that is projected onto the victim, how is she remotely qualified to state this? It also lends itself to motive, can she digress on that too?

"She would not have had any strength left at that stage," said Fouche.

Another assumption, although one based in the medical sphere at least. How can this person be a credible expert witness?

 

[supersunbird]

Overkill relates to the psychological state of an offender that is projected onto the victim, how is she remotely qualified to state this? It also lends itself to motive, can she digress on that too?



Another assumption, although one based in the medical sphere at least. How can this person be a credible expert witness?

Are you some kind of expert in this field?

She was shot in the head from different directions, sound like overkill to me. After being shot in the chest.

She was shot in the chest outside the house, had to go into the house, might have been quite a few meters - blood loss, shock, bleeding in lungs even

 

[Gibson]

Are you some kind of expert in this field?

She was shot in the head from different directions, sound like overkill to me. After being shot in the chest.

She was shot in the chest outside the house, had to go into the house, might have been quite a few meters - blood loss, shock, bleeding in lungs even

Working my way slowly towards it.

Possible with multiple firearms, suggesting that there may have been more than one offender. Even after a shot to the chest, a "double tap" doesn't indicate overkill, but ensuring she was dead. If they had emptied the clip into her it would be a completely different story.

And the witness can't possibly state what condition she was in when she reached inside, even with the gunshot wounds. She can hypothesis that the elements you listed would have made movement difficult, can state that she given the autopsy results an individual may typically live for x amount of time after the wounds; but without stating a practical reasoning for a lack of strength (such as blood loss), the court cant make an informed judgement.

It's emotive testimony meant to ensure a conviction, and hopefully she gets torn apart from it.

 

[LazyLion]

DNA expert to testify

A DNA expert is expected to testify in the Griekwastad farm murder case at the Northern Cape High Court on Tuesday.

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with the murders of farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, and their daughter Marthella, 14.

They were shot dead on their farm on April 6, 2012.

The teenager faces additional charges of raping the daughter and of defeating the ends of justice.

On Monday, a police chemical expert told the court that no primer residue from a firearm was found on the hands of the accused.

"It is fair to say that primer residue is easily removed," said Lt-Col Thandiwe Mlabateki, of the police's forensic science laboratory in Pretoria.

Mlabateki confirmed that residue could be removed by washing one's hands.

Prosecutor Hannes Cloete submitted that it was not disputed that the boy had washed his hands twice before tests were done.

The boy's counsel handed in a list of admissions which included that residue was, however, found on two of the boy's t-shirts.


Source : Sapa /nsm/ks/lk
Date : 12 Nov 2013 02:05

 

[LazyLion]

Shots fired from inside

Evidence indicates that several shots fired at the Griekwastad farm murder scene were fired from inside the house, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Tuesday.

Police ballistics expert Warrant Officer Nosamose Nhlapo testified that some of the damage to the kitchen door was caused by gunfire from inside the house in the direction of the back door.

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of murdering farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14.

Police seized a .357 revolver and a .22 rifle.

A bullet hole from the .357 revolver was found inside the house. The bullet went through the house's prefab-wall and struck a shed wall some distance away in the back yard, ricocheting up into the shed door.

Nhlapo testified that Deon Steenkamp was shot twice with the .357 revolver, his wife Christel was shot once, and their daughter Marthella once. All the shots were in the chest area.

Nhlapo said Deon Steenkamp also had a rifle wound to the left side of the neck. The rifle was also used to shoot the woman and girl in the head.

The court heard that the revolver shots would have been audible from the shed outside the house.

Items of the victims' clothing had tested negative for propellant residue.

Nhlapo said there could be many reasons for this, such as their being outside the range for propellant residue to settle.


Source : Sapa /ag/hdw/cls/jk
Date : 12 Nov 2013 14:18

 

[blunomore]

Nhlapo testified that Deon Steenkamp was shot twice with the .357 revolver, his wife Christel was shot once, and their daughter Marthella once.

Fouche testified about four gunshot wounds the Steenkamp daughter sustained: one in the chest and three in the head.

??????????????????

 

[LazyLion]

??????????????????

More than one type of gun was used.

 

[blunomore]

More than one type of gun was used.

Thanks Gary

 

[LazyLion]

Mysterious Griekwastad fingerprint mystery solved

The mystery of the unknown fingerprint on a cooldrink glass outside the Griekwastad farm murder house has likely been solved, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Tuesday.

"There is a reasonable possibility that the print on the glass was of Marthella Steenkamp," fingerprint expert Phillip Bekker told the court.

Judge President Frans Kgomo was hearing evidence in the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of killing Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14, on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on April 6, 2012.

Warrant Officer Phillip Bekker, of the crime scene unit and laboratory in Port Elizabeth, painstakingly testified on Tuesday afternoon to the methods of fingerprint analysis used to come to his conclusion. Earlier in the case the fingerprint on the cooldrink glass, found near the farm house's back door, remained a mystery.

Investigators had no comparable fingerprint on record to identify the prints.

Investigators also indicated that police could not find any record of the girl's fingerprints in the state's record system.

On Tuesday, the court was told police seized a set of Marthella's schoolbooks to look for identifiable fingerprints.

Bekker testified that his analysis of prints on school material and the glass indicated the girl held the glass.

"The prints point to each other, the normal position for holding a glass in the left hand."

Bekker told Kgomo the fingerprints on the glass were those of a child or small adult. He asked the judge to hold his thumb over a print for measure.

"It's smaller (the lifted print)," said Kgomo.

There was no sign of any adult prints on the glass. Bekker said even though he was able to only get five identifiable marks of a fingerprint on the glass, it was a reasonable possibility the Steenkamp daughter drank from the glass.

Seven identifiable points on a fingerprint was the standard practice in South Africa.

Defence lawyers indicated they would only be able to cross-examine Bekker after their expert looked at the evidence on Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, defence counsel William Coetzee did not cross-examine two of the State's other expert witnesses.

They were DNA expert Lieutenant Cicilia (SUBS: CORRECT) Janse van Rensburg and police ballistic expert, Warrant Officer Nosamose Nhlapo.

Janse van Rensburg testified to DNA tests done on the two firearms used in the crime, and various clothing items the victims and the accused had worn.

Nhlapo told the court evidence indicated that several shots at the murder scene were fired from inside the house.

Damage to the wooden double door of the kitchen was from a .357 revolver fired inside the house, Nhlapo said.

Items of the victims' clothing had tested negative for propellant residue.

Nhlapo said there could be many reasons for this, such as their being outside the range for propellant residue to settle.

The trial continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/hdw/ks/th
Date : 12 Nov 2013 18:07

 

[LazyLion]

Griekwastad girl left trail of blood

The 14-year-old girl killed in the Griekwastad farm murder left a trail of blood through the kitchen on her way to try and reach the telephone, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Wednesday.

"It will be one of those days that will not be pleasant," prosecutor Hannes Cloete warned relatives in court before photographs taken of the crime scene and of the post mortems were shown.

He then led police crime scene expert Captain Marius Joubert in his evidence-in-chief. He is a crime scene and blood spatter expert from the police forensic science laboratory in Cape Town.

Joubert said the blood from the gunshot wound to Marthella Steenkamp's chest flowed down her body, her right leg and arm, right hand and dripped onto her feet. She left a trail of drops from the kitchen back door, through the washing room (scullery) and into the kitchen.

He showed the court photographs of where the girl, covered in blood, had leaned against the kitchen counter. The blood trail went around the counter to where the telephone was.

Halfway to the phone she stopped between the counter and the wooden dining room table. There was a collection of blood spatters on the floor and a bloody handprint on the dining room table.

"The spatters are concentrated in one area. The victim must have stood for a while and left blood to collect," Joubert said.

The court heard on Monday that Marthella Steenkamp was shot once in the chest and three times in the head. She collapsed and died near the phone.

Referring to a blood smear found near her father, Deon Steenkamp, Joubert said it was created by a forearm which had moved inwards towards the body.

"Possibly by the victim to make himself comfortable... pulling in [his] arm."

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of the murders of farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella. They were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on April 6, 2012.

State witness Warrant Officer Phillip Bekker of the crime scene unit and laboratory in Port Elizabeth was excused from the stand after the defence team decided they had no questions for him.

The trial continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/jk/th/jje
Date : 13 Nov 2013 15:30

 

[blunomore]

The mystery of the unknown fingerprint on a cooldrink glass outside the Griekwastad farm murder house has likely been solved, the Northern Cape High Court heard on Tuesday.

"There is a reasonable possibility that the print on the glass was of Marthella Steenkamp," fingerprint expert Phillip Bekker told the court.

Judge President Frans Kgomo was hearing evidence in the trial of a 17-year-old youth accused of killing Northern Cape farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14, on their farm Naauwhoek, near Griekwastad, on April 6, 2012.

Warrant Officer Phillip Bekker, of the crime scene unit and laboratory in Port Elizabeth, painstakingly testified on Tuesday afternoon to the methods of fingerprint analysis used to come to his conclusion. Earlier in the case the fingerprint on the cooldrink glass, found near the farm house's back door, remained a mystery.

Investigators had no comparable fingerprint on record to identify the prints.

Investigators also indicated that police could not find any record of the girl's fingerprints in the state's record system.

On Tuesday, the court was told police seized a set of Marthella's schoolbooks to look for identifiable fingerprints.

Bekker testified that his analysis of prints on school material and the glass indicated the girl held the glass.

"The prints point to each other, the normal position for holding a glass in the left hand."

Bekker told Kgomo the fingerprints on the glass were those of a child or small adult. He asked the judge to hold his thumb over a print for measure.

"It's smaller (the lifted print)," said Kgomo.

There was no sign of any adult prints on the glass. Bekker said even though he was able to only get five identifiable marks of a fingerprint on the glass, it was a reasonable possibility the Steenkamp daughter drank from the glass.

Seven identifiable points on a fingerprint was the standard practice in South Africa.

Defence lawyers indicated they would only be able to cross-examine Bekker after their expert looked at the evidence on Tuesday night.

On Tuesday, defence counsel William Coetzee did not cross-examine two of the State's other expert witnesses.

They were DNA expert Lieutenant Cicilia (SUBS: CORRECT) Janse van Rensburg and police ballistic expert, Warrant Officer Nosamose Nhlapo.

Janse van Rensburg testified to DNA tests done on the two firearms used in the crime, and various clothing items the victims and the accused had worn.

Nhlapo told the court evidence indicated that several shots at the murder scene were fired from inside the house.

Damage to the wooden double door of the kitchen was from a .357 revolver fired inside the house, Nhlapo said.

Items of the victims' clothing had tested negative for propellant residue.

Nhlapo said there could be many reasons for this, such as their being outside the range for propellant residue to settle.

The trial continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/hdw/ks/th
Date : 12 Nov 2013 18:07

I wonder what the significance of this is; simply to rule out that the murders were committed by a stranger?

 

[LazyLion]

I wonder what the significance of this is; simply to rule out that the murders were committed by a stranger?

Yes, I also think that is what they are going for. It seems they are trying to shut the door on any other possible person being present.

 

[LazyLion]

Accused takes the stand

The 17-year-old boy accused of killing three members of the Steenkamp family on their farm near Griekwastad began testifying in the Kimberley High Court on Monday.

The boy's defence counsel Willem Coetzee called him to the stand as the first witness after the State closed its case last week.

Northern Cape Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in the trial of the boy -- accused of killing farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14. They were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.

After Kgomo had sworn the boy in, the judge made sure he was comfortable and wanted to know if there was a chair available for him.

"You have been in court the whole time, you know what the oath is. Do you have a problem against taking the oath?" Kgomo asked him.

"No," he replied without hesitation in Afrikaans.

Coetzee began the boy's testimony-in-chief by asking him to tell the court his age now and at the time of the murders. The boy continued to testify about his school.

Coetzee led the boy through events of the day before the murders. He then started to tell the court his whereabouts on the day of the attack on the Steenkamps.

The case continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/jk/th/ks
Date : 18 Nov 2013 11:49

 

[LazyLion]

'Let's test your story' : Prosecutor

The State on Monday started cross-examining the 17-year-old boy accused of killing three members of the Steenkamp family on their farm near Griekwastad.

"We are just going to test what you have said, if that could be the truth," prosecutor Hannes Cloete told the boy in the Northern Cape High Court.

Judge President Frans Kgomo is hearing evidence in the trial of the boy, accused of killing farmer Deon Steenkamp, 44, his wife Christel, 43, and their daughter Marthella, 14. They were shot dead on their farm Naauwhoek on April 6, 2012.

"Its very important you listen carefully and understand what I am doing," Cloete told the boy before he began.

Cloete informed the boy the State alleges he killed three people, tried to rape one of them, and lied to the police.

Cloete explained that he would test the probability of the boy's actions on the day of the murders.

He asked the boy why he had picked up the firearms he allegedly found next to the farm road. The boy said it was a way to show the attackers, who might be still in the vicinity, he had a weapon.

"That could not be. Then you would not have placed them on the back seat," Cloete said.

The prosecutor asked the boy how it was possible to see the firearms beside the road.

"There is testimony before the court that what you say about the firearms was not possible," said Cloete.

When proceedings began on Monday morning the boy's lawyer Willem Coetzee called him to the stand as the first witness after the State closed its case last week.

Coetzee led the boy through events of the day before the murders. He then started to tell the court his whereabouts on the day of the attack on the Steenkamps.

The trial continues.


Source : Sapa /ag/hdw/th/ks
Date : 18 Nov 2013 15:23

 

[Fudzy]

Jeez how drawn out are these articles.

 

[APoc184]

Been following the Tweets when I get time.

His story is being pulled apart by the state.

And all he can seem to answer to all the important questions that will clear his name? "I can't remember" and "I don't know"

 

[Rocket Raccoon]

Question: Say he turns 18 while the trial is still going, can the media then name him?

 

[LazyLion]

Question: Say he turns 18 while the trial is still going, can the media then name him?

No, I think still not. Because it happened while he was still a minor.

 

[blunomore]

Been following the Tweets when I get time.

His story is being pulled apart by the state.

And all he can seem to answer to all the important questions that will clear his name? "I can't remember" and "I don't know"

Can you please give a link to the Twitter account of the journalist/s covering the trial?

 

[LazyLion]

Can you please give a link to the Twitter account of the journalist/s covering the trial?

Just type the hashtag #Griekwastad into the search field on Twitter and you will get ALL of the feed relating to the trial.