Psych Evaluation Reveals Pistorius Can Tell Right From Wrong....Plus Further Discussion of his Mental Stability July 3rd



A panel of psychiatrists have concluded that the runner was able to tell right from wrong when he killed his girlfriend. Oscar Pistorius was not suffering from a mental condition when he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a psychiatric report has concluded. Pistorius, an Olympic and Paralympic sprinter, maintains he mistook Reeva for an intruder hiding in his toilet in an upmarket Pretoria suburb.
The trial, which began in March, took a month-long break to allow the 27-year-old to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at Pretoria's Weskoppies hospital after a forensic psychologist, brought in by the defense, testified that Pistorius had an anxiety disorder. Judge Thokozile Masipa said it was important to find out whether or not the condition affected his criminal responsibility.

"At the time of the alleged offences, the accused did not suffer from a mental disorder or mental defect that affected his ability to distinguish between the rightful or wrongful nature of his deeds," Prosecutor Gerrie Nel read from a report submitted to the court.
Both Nel and defence lawyer Barry Roux accepted the findings of a panel of psychiatrists and psychologists after 30 days of evaluation.
During the trial, prosecutors have tried to paint a picture of a self-obsessed Pistorius who knowingly killed his law graduate girlfriend as she cowered behind a locked bathroom door.
Pistorius could face a life sentence if found guilty of the shooting on Valentine's Day last year. Pistorius competed against able-bodied sprinters on carbon-fiber prosthetics, becoming one of the most recognized names in athletics. Besides a clutch of Paralympic medals, he reached the semi-finals of the 400m at the London 2012 Olympics.

The court heard more details about the 27-year-old's mental health following the death of Reeva Steenkamp. The Oscar Pistorius murder trial was a tense scene July 3rd as feared prosecutor Gerrie Nel attempted to discredit a key defence witness.
Professor Wayne Derman, who was formerly the chief medical officer of the South African Olympic and Paralympic teams, was back in court giving evidence. But it proved to be a long and rather difficult day for the professor who faced a sustained grilling over his evidence by Nel.


Here are five things we learned from the July 3rd hearing:

1) Gerrie Nel Is just as tough as his reputation suggests

Poor old Professor Derman had a stressful time during the cross-examination. During his evidence for Pistorius' defence team, he was confident and assured, seemingly enjoying explaining complex theories on the brain's inner workings to the court.
But following a brutal cross-examintion by Nel, he was a completely different person. He appeared tired and unsure and was accused of being biased. Nel repeatedly questioned him as to whether he was more of a character witness than an expert witness.
At one point, Nel said to the professor:  "Those sarcastic questions are not doing your credibility any good". Ouch!

2) Oscar Pistorius is a 'paradox of an individual

During his evidence for Pistorius' defence team, Professor Derman told how there is a "paradox" with Pistorius that is "difficult to understand"."You have a paradox of an individual who is supremely able and an individual who is significantly disabled" he told the court."The template of him with his arms out crossing the finishing line competing in able-bodied competitions represents his triumph over his disability."He says the "difference in this template" causes a significant amount of "stress and anxiety" for Pistorius.


3) 'Start training for races caused Pistorius to shoot Reeva dead' ( If you can believe that )
Professor Derman told the court how athletic training has "conditioned" Pistorius to react to a loud noise. Obviously, races start following a gun shot. Pistorius' lawyer Kenny Oldwage asks Professor Derman if this can create conditioning in a person, to which he replied it could. He told the court the athlete’s training to react quickly to the start gun conditions the brain to react to auditory stimuli. Professor Derman was asked if the start training for races can relate to Pistorius' response when he heard a sound in the toilet on the night Steenkamp was killed. He replied by saying that Pistorius is conditioned for sound to cause a startle response and with the shooting happening in the dark it also heightens the startle response.

4) Pistorius 'suffers from agoraphobia'

The athlete's defence team today read from the psychologist's report which was yesterday censored by the judge. It revealed that the 27-year-old suffers from agoraphobia - an anxiety of public places.
The court was also told he feels defenceless without his prostheses on.
"I am stuffed without them", Pistorius told the psychologist.
Pistorius' lawyers built up an image of the athlete being a vulnerable, anxious man who often felt defenceless. The court was told that this was one of the reasons why he bought a gun.

5) Athlete has 'a profound fear of crime'


Again, this was part of Pistorius' defence team's attempt to present their client as a vulnerable man.
Professor Derman said the athlete has a "profound fear of crime" .
This follows a number of home invasions that have occurred within the estate where he lives.
The court also heard in the past two days how Pistorius is very anxious and stressed. Well, anyone who was being tried for murder and in such a high profile, public trial, would definitely feel that way. Also a life sentence in a south African prison hanging over one's head would terrify the s*** out of most grown men.  He better wear his prosthetic legs in the shower....just saying.