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Pistorius sentenced to 6 years in prison for murder of Reeva Steenkamp

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Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?
Side-effects? If none, I would at least offer it and make it required for lifetime sentences.

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.
Ask Miles O'Brian!

3&4 are also science fiction movies, but I am bad with names, what's 1 from?
 

SomTervo

Member
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?

I have been thinking about the fact that even a couple of years in prison is probably going to ruin his life, and he's probably not going to commit a crime ever again.
 
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?

I have no idea what you're going on about but prison has always been about punishment and keeping violent individuals sequestered from society. In an ideal world rehabilitation programs would work for every inmate but its just not that effective. You honestly believe 6 years for intentionally murdering somebody is punishment enough? There've been people with nonviolent drug-related offences locked up for nearly 3 times as long as that.
 

SomTervo

Member
I have no idea what you're going on about but prison has always been about punishment and keeping violent individuals sequestered from society. In an ideal world rehabilitation programs would work for every inmate but its just not that effective. You honestly believe 6 years for intentionally murdering somebody is punishment enough? There've been people with nonviolent drug-related offences locked up for nearly 3 times as long as that.

I don't think the problem is that rehab isn't effective - the problem is that pathological criminals do exist, and rehab will never work for them.

Unfortunately, rather than designing pathways to identify whether a criminal is pathological or not, they're all just chucked in prison. That's the problem.

Also, philosophically, we could argue that 'punishment' for a crime is unfair because the vast, uncountable majority of crimes originate from abusive/problematic childhoods or situations, rather than a person's sincere "badness". That's a whole other kettle of fish though.
 

AxelFoley

Member
Seems like he's not going to appeal. Think that's a given seeing as he pretty much got the minimum sentence.

Even if he did, he wouldn't have a leg to stand on.


Ah, I see what you did there.

But, yeah, this whole thing is an absolute joke. Fucker should be rotting in prison for life.
 

AxelFoley

Member
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?

Man, get the fuck outta here with this bullshit.
 

Oersted

Member
And, let's be honest, he knew it was her in there. Or did he manage to get out of bed without realising that she wasn't in there, then didn't check it was her in the bathroom first?

I don't know about you, but if I hear noises of someone in the bathroom, I would ask who is in there. Especially when I live with someone. And especially when I have a loaded gun.
 

Mr Swine

Banned
I don't know about you, but if I hear noises of someone in the bathroom, I would ask who is in there. Especially when I live with someone. And especially when I have a loaded gun.

Shoot first answer questions later?

Either way I'm glad he got 6 years, even if that is ridiculously low sentence for killing Reeva :/
 

Cromwell

Banned
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?

This is fucked up. So if someone commits straight up murder in a fit of rage like Pistorious did, he should be let off because he cries a bunch and says sorry? What about the family of Steenkamp who wants to see him spend the rest of his life in jail? Why do his feelings matter more than theirs? And what if, 10 years later, he has another fit and beats or kills his next girlfriend?

He's still only in his twenties. He'll only be 31 when he gets out, he has plenty of time to forget all about this and continue to be a horrible piece of shit.

Also, by your logic we need to get rid of any prison sentence whatsoever for minor offences like thievery or drugs. If there's theoretically no point to more than a year or two prison time for MURDER, there certainly isn't a point to any time at all for lesser crimes.

The only reason he's getting 3 years is because he's rich, white, famous, and good at turning on the waterworks. It worked on the judge. She must be in love with him because it's completely unheard of for such a clear case of murder, with as many holes and inconsistencies in the defense's case as there was here, to get such a light sentence. It defies all sense.
 
Yep, 6 years is fucking ridiculous, especially considering he'll be out long before that.
6 years in prison for murdering someone...how anyone can think that's an appropriate sentence is beyond me.
 
Both during the first and second trial Judge Masipa has shown herself to either be willfully stupid or flat out prejudiced and corrupt, so why on earth did she get to decide the sentence when her incompetence, stupidity and inability to responsibly interpret the law the first time was the whole reason he had to be retried? What a joke of a system, should have been 15 minimum based on all the accounts I'm reading. Great message to send to women and non-celebs. Can the prosecution appeal the sentence and ask for Masipa to be recused or removed in some way?
 

darkinstinct

...lacks reading comprehension.
Both during the first and second trial Judge Masipa has shown herself to either be willfully stupid or flat out prejudiced and corrupt, so why on earth did she get to decide the sentence when her incompetence, stupidity and inability to responsibly interpret the law the first time was the whole reason he had to be retried? What a joke of a system, should have been 15 minimum based on all the accounts I'm reading. Great message to send to women and non-celebs. Can the prosecution appeal the sentence and ask for Masipa to be recused or removed in some way?

They can. It's absoutely despicable that a judge that messed up one time is given the same case again. Of course she is going to find nearly the same sentence, everything else would be admitting to screwing up the first time. And to pretend the sentence is low because he is already punished by losing his career and money must feel like brutal irony for Steenkamp's family. Losing money wins over losing your life.
 

ezrarh

Member
So if you want to kill someone doing it through a door is the way to go.

Nah he got prison time here. If you want to get away with it, run them over with a car while they're walking. Much better chance at getting away with it, at least in the US, not sure about South Africa.
 
I'm pretty sure they can and will. Steenkamp's family must be absolutely livid, this is like OJ Simpson all over again.

I sure hope so, I read of a case over there where someone got 77 years for murder and illegal possession of rhino horn, this is incredibly slanted obviously due to his celeb status.
 
In Germany that would have been 10+ years easily, up to 16 years. Murder is murder.

Not a fan of American style-"you gonna stay in prison till you die of old age" life long sentences (waste of prison space and a huge tax payer bill just for life support and IMO everyone besides the most extreme cases deserves a second chance... eventually), but this sentence is an utter joke.

I with you here. We go way the fuck overboard with prison here in the states and would like to be more like Europe with how we operate (I mean, fuck the private prison industry) but just six years and eligible for parole in three is a fucking joke.
 

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?

What the fuck are you talking about? This isn't the Minority Report or a scifi novel. Get fucking real man.
 

usp84

Member
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?

Is this a joke post?

The woman was shot dead man.She is gone.That is all that matters.Wtf are you talking about?
 
Side-effects? If none, I would at least offer it and make it required for lifetime sentences.
Ask Miles O'Brian!
3&4 are also science fiction movies, but I am bad with names, what's 1 from?

Assume no side effects except for the obvious side effect of unintended consequences. For example, someone unable to take a life might not be able to act in self defense or protect someone else if they were in danger of criminal activity. And, of course, possibly conflicting directives that result in an unexpected response.

1. Is part of the plot for several books.
2 This is actually something that many think is on the near horizon.
3. An interesting implementation of this happens in the bool 'Blue Remembered Earth' by Alastair Reynolds.
4. I guess Minority Report/GATTACA/etc.

I have been thinking about the fact that even a couple of years in prison is probably going to ruin his life, and he's probably not going to commit a crime ever again.

I don't think that throwing people in prison is the answer. The vast majority of people who go to prison serve their sentence but pay for their mistake the rest of their lives. That's wrong.

I have no idea what you're going on about but prison has always been about punishment and keeping violent individuals sequestered from society. In an ideal world rehabilitation programs would work for every inmate but its just not that effective. You honestly believe 6 years for intentionally murdering somebody is punishment enough? There've been people with nonviolent drug-related offences locked up for nearly 3 times as long as that.

This is untrue. In countries where rehab is a priority, the efficacy is measurably better than that of other countries. From outcomes after prison to recidivism you see shorter sentencing, house arrest, and rehab working.

Man, get the fuck outta here with this bullshit.

So, if we had technological alternatives, you'd still rather folks be locked away for long periods of time as "punishment"? Eye for an eye, eh?

This is fucked up. So if someone commits straight up murder in a fit of rage like Pistorious did, he should be let off because he cries a bunch and says sorry? What about the family of Steenkamp who wants to see him spend the rest of his life in jail? Why do his feelings matter more than theirs? And what if, 10 years later, he has another fit and beats or kills his next girlfriend?

He's still only in his twenties. He'll only be 31 when he gets out, he has plenty of time to forget all about this and continue to be a horrible piece of shit.

Also, by your logic we need to get rid of any prison sentence whatsoever for minor offences like thievery or drugs. If there's theoretically no point to more than a year or two prison time for MURDER, there certainly isn't a point to any time at all for lesser crimes.

The only reason he's getting 3 years is because he's rich, white, famous, and good at turning on the waterworks. It worked on the judge. She must be in love with him because it's completely unheard of for such a clear case of murder, with as many holes and inconsistencies in the defense's case as there was here, to get such a light sentence. It defies all sense.

Locking him away, for any length of time, won't bring her back. By your logic, maybe we should make the death penalty the mandatory punishment for murder. It wouldn't bring the victim back, or help their family and friends, but it would at least let the family and friends of the victim know they had robbed another group of people of someone they care about.

What the fuck are you talking about? This isn't the Minority Report or a scifi novel. Get fucking real man.

If any of those alternative existed, would you be OK with them instead of locking someone into a cage to twiddle their thumbs for an arbitrary assigned amount of time?

Is this a joke post?
The woman was shot dead man.She is gone.That is all that matters.Wtf are you talking about?

She is gone. Pistorius is still alive. Given the opportunity, would you rather he sit in a cell and twiddle his thumbs or get help, show contrition, and work to make up for his mistake?
 

Big-E

Member
If he was poor, he would probably rot in jail. IIRC the defense was baffling stupid with no logic at all being applied. Dude was and is a loose cannon who fantasized about using guns on people.
 

msdstc

Incredibly Naive
From my understanding, where he lives, violence, intrusions, robberies, etc. Are very common. I've heard most who live there sleep with guns at there side for this very reason. I'm not saying he didn't know... however to say the idea of there being an intruder is absurd is not entirely fair, especially since he was said to have some serious anxiety.
 
From my understanding, where he lives, violence, intrusions, robberies, etc. Are very common. I've heard most who live there sleep with guns at there side for this very reason. I'm not saying he didn't know... however to say the idea of there being an intruder is absurd is not entirely fair, especially since he was said to have some serious anxiety.

Common sense along with the evidence says he's 100% guilty.
 

Monocle

Member
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?
I was going to say 6 years seemed low, but you're right. State-enacted vengeance serves no one and can't un-harm the victim, harsh punishments don't actually lower the rate of recidivism as far as I know, and rehabilitation really is the ideal goal of incarceration from a moral and even financial perspective.
 
Tales from my ass but my gut still says that they argued a lot, she knew he was using PED's and she threatened to tell everyone in one of their more heated rows and he decided to shoot her and play innocent to protect his reputation and success.

As usual, once you are dead, you can't tell your side of the story - but at least he is getting convicted. although I think 6 years (which we all know he won't serve all of...) is weak for premed, it's better than nothing
 
What the fuck are you talking about? This isn't the Minority Report or a scifi novel. Get fucking real man.

Is this a joke post?

The woman was shot dead man.She is gone.That is all that matters.Wtf are you talking about?

Easy fellas. That's actually not all that matters. For the family, yes, of course. But that's why they're not in charge of his trial. Society is. And sentencing serves a number of purposes there.

I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

2. If we had the technology to alter a criminals state of mind so that the criminals perception of time is dialated, say to a maximum sentence of say 1000 years subjective time. And let's say that was actually an hour or so in real time. Would you be OK with that sort of sentence.

3. If we created a global and benign AI and gave it the ability to surveil us all at times and intervene just before the moment we break the law of our society, would you be OK with that?

4. If we discovered a way to predict people with an 85% chance of committing a felony of any sort, but not 100% and no idea when it would happen, would you be OK with preemptively removing them from the gene pool before they can do harm. If you do not approve of killing them for something they may or may not do, let's say he has Matrix-like technology. Would you be OK with imprisoning them I'm a VR simulation without their knowledge and letting them live subjectively free, but cordoned off from the real world for their whole lives?

Second one seems extremely cruel though. You'd go quite insane after a 1000 years.
 

legend166

Member
I always find these threads curious. What purpose would a longer sentence serve? It won't bring her back. Prison shouldn't be about punishment, it should be for rehab.

I wonder what would happen if locking someone up wasn't the only option we had... What if:

1. If we had the technology to change a person to remove the ability to perform the act that was in violation of the law. A sort of mental castration that would remove one's ability to murder, rape, steal, etc. Would you guys be OK with forcing the procedure and removing a bit of free will with no jail time attached?

Would you be okay if Reeva Steenkamp's father murdered Pistorius and this was his 'punishment'? I mean, he probably only wants to kill one person and never do it again so it would have no impact on him really.

Part of the concept of the social contact in a modern nation state is that the citizen gives up their rights to justice to the state. What you're proposing gives absolutely no thought to victim's rights.

The problems with America's criminal justice system isn't how they sentence murderers. It's how they treat drug offenders and low level violent crimes. Rehabilitation needs to happen there so they don't actually turn into murderers.
 
T

Transhuman

Unconfirmed Member
Six years (less, really) for murder is a joke.

The prosection mustn't have had a leg to stand on.

A leg to stand on.

Oscar Pistorious is a double leg amputee
 
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