Oscar Pistorius murder charge

[daffodil]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/fe ... der-charge

Originally reported as an accident, unfortunately it seems there's more to the story. Was hoping it was the former.

[Lichtgestalt]

First statements from the police said that they were at the address already a couple of times for domestic violence. Shame that she is dead anyway

[Kooky]

Well I've been waiting for it, and I've just read the first mention of 'roid rage.

[slinky]

Ugh. What a shame. If that's the case, how stupid does someone have to be to use that stuff? With all the evidence that shows what it can lead to, I just don't get taking the risk.

[Kooky]

I did wonder when I read that he suffered from insomnia and was known to go to a shooting range in the middle of the night, plus the total paranoia about being burgled (or worse, I guess).

Whether he this was premeditated, spur of the moment, or a genuine case of mistaken identity - and acknowledging that the press is having a field day - he sounds like one messed up young man.

[Calatrava]

I highly doubt this senseless act is a mistake. Several character witness have come forward to state that Oscar has quite the temper. In fact he sleeps with a gun! And the poor girl was shot through the door, covering her head which explains why her hand was also shot. I don't think he can bounce back from this one.

[T2K]

He shot at her at a distance of 1.5m through an internal door while whe was in a separate toilet enclosure in the bathroom off their bedroom (according to the latest story I read). It would seem hard to believe that he thought a burglar was there. From the height of the bullet holes in the door and the trajectory of where they hit her, it would also indicate he had his prosthetics on (he doesn't sleep in them).

[Addadude]

Ugh. What a shame. If that's the case, how stupid does someone have to be to use that stuff? With all the evidence that shows what it can lead to, I just don't get taking the risk.

There is actually no real evidence that anabolic steroids lead to "'roid rage". It's all media hype that has now been adopted by desperate defense attorneys.

[Kooky]

I think it depends on what you read, 'dude.

I once knew a guy that ended up doing time for smacking somebody when he was off his face on coke and, whilst it was not his intention, the person died. I do believe he wouldn't have smacked him if he had been straight. Drugs affect people in different ways.

[slinky]

Drugs affect people in different ways.

I think this is the key. I know it's not a peer reviewed journal article, but a quick search yielded this article and the part that stands out to me at a glance is:

Could anabolic steroids account for severely violent acts?

Yes. It's been implicated in a number of murders and can result in extreme
aberrations of behavior including the taking of one's life.

Another thing you have to be mindful of -- it may unmask an underlying
psychiatric disorder that has been basically kept in check until the individual is exposed to this category of drugs. And so what you may be seeing is unmasked psychiatric disorder.

I think it's also extremely important to note that most people who take anabolic steroids are doing so without the knowledge or assistance of a doctor. They are self-medicating and who knows what else they might be taking, legitimately or not, that could be interacting with the steroids. It all generally adds up to a messy situation.

[Addadude]

As usual with these 'investigative journalistic articles' there's little real research and a lot of speculation. Anabolic steroids have indeed been implicated in a number of violent incidents - usually, as I said, by desperate defense lawyers grasping for straws.

In every case of so-called 'roid rage that I have ever come across, while the perpetrator might well be on performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), he's also using a hell of a lot of recreational drugs, including alchohol too and, as in the Chris Benoit case that starts off that particular article, has other significant problems. (Benoit's autopsy indicated a significant amount of brain damage brought about by concussion.) But of course all these things are ignored and PEDs are blamed instead.

Kooky's response is pretty indicative of the misinformation that is out there. The guy she was talking about was out of his head on coke. PEDs had nothing to do with his actions.

For a more balanced discussion on the use of PEDs in sports and their side effects, (and if you have about an hour and half to spare) check out this documentary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8ADP6C7rKM

[slinky]

In every case of so-called 'roid rage that I have ever come across, while the perpetrator might well be on performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), he's also using a hell of a lot of recreational drugs, including alcohol too...

That was my point when I said:

I think it's also extremely important to note that most people who take anabolic steroids are doing so without the knowledge or assistance of a doctor. They are self-medicating and who knows what else they might be taking, legitimately or not, that could be interacting with the steroids. It all generally adds up to a messy situation.

I can't tell what you are arguing for or against here, but at least part of it seems to have to do with lawyers using the taking of steroids as a defense. I know I'm not trying to excuse his behavior for any reason, but I think it is very important to understand the driving forces behind the behavior and if it's at all possible the steroids played some sort of role, then it's important for people to know and understand that so others will (hopefully) make better choices.

[daffodil]

Aside from some backtracking by the police over supposed evidence, the detective leading the case is also facing 7 charges of attempted murder himself!

What a cluster....

[Kooky]

Kooky's response is pretty indicative of the misinformation that is out there.

Credit me with slightly more intelligence, please. I've been around a lot of drugs in my time and was giving an example of a "party drug" gone bad for that particular guy. For most of my friends, the worst that happened was a bit of paranoia on a Monday.

I've also known a few people taking steroids. Honestly, most of them were complete dicks. Which came first, the personality or the drugs, I can only speculate.

You use the term PEDs in order to make them seem innocuous, I feel. They're not. For every article you post, I can post a different story. Zyzz here is a local legend. A dead one. http://www.news.com.au/national-old/aft ... 6114913389

Now I really can't be arsed, so believe what you will and I'll believe what I do.

[baloo]

Cocaine is on the WADA list so it's considered a PED

[daffodil]

He's been granted bail.

Too early for "doing a runner" jokes?

[BoD]

Yes far too early.. But I guess the more important question is whether he has a leg to stand on

[Kooky]

I think the press might be in danger of forgetting who was the victim in this one.

[Fat Bob]

I think the amount of comments and speculation here about Pistorius has also led us to forget who the victim is. Can't fault the press for doing exactly what we're doing!

[daffodil]

I don't think you can speak for "us" FB - can you see into our minds now or what?!

Kooks - speaking of the victim, I didn't realise that violence against women is SA was so high - I read somewhere that it's 5 times as high as the global rate, an an alarming number of rapes and sexual assaults.

[Fat Bob]

Just calling it as I read it. I don't think I would want to see into most of your minds!

[sluggo]

Yes far too early.. But I guess the more important question is whether he has a leg to stand on

As a fellow amputee I think this is funny as sh*t. I'd like to give you a hand BOD.

[Lichtgestalt]

Since he is out on bail....where are they gonna fit the ankle brace?

[sluggo]

I've often wondered if I ever got arrested how they would put me in handcuffs. If they put them on my prosthesis I could just slip it off and be on my merry way.

[Lichtgestalt]

Just give it a try