they sure  do protest a lot in SA - job alternative?

we're still not live yet the twitterpeeps say court is ready

#PistoriusTrial OP has sat down again. Seems the Judge not quite ready. Sister Aimee passes tissue to her brother Carl

My sense, for what it's worth - as i've speculated before, the verdict will hinge on what OP was thinking when he fired those shots.

ah right 

#OscarTrial the call comes that we’re about to start.

I still think its pointing to CH 

Judge Greenland says that Gerrie Nel is probably happy at the moment. 

We're back,

plethora of defences 

Judge Masipa re-enters, stage left. An official hands documents to defence and prosecution teams. Unclear what's in 'em.

Among those in the police benches today, National Director of Public Prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana. Shows how critical this case is for them.

^   this person's attendance is causing waves on twitter - guess this firstly televised trial could have implications for the future especially as M'lady said Fresco watched the trial and answered to what he'd seen not what he know 

Masipa" the first question is if OP had criminal capacity

Judge Masipa's bodyguards seem to be wearing harnesses - as if they might soon hang out of a helicopter. Overkill?

#PistoriusTrial Now the shooting: 'There's a plethora of defences'. First anxiety defence which may have affected his conduct....

Hmm, wonder if it will sway the decision whether to televise the Dewani case?

exactly what I'm wondering Yogi 

maybe, it's not been decided on yet! 

Oscar looks calmer. 

Judge Masipa is very deliberate and thorough on the legal points as she goes through her verdict, citing numbered sections of law frequently

#OscarTrial Masipa: … that affected his appreciation of wrongfulness or ability to distinguish right from wrong.

Maybe.

Yogi, you are right...that's bloody big type on those pages 

Crowd sings outside court

that's helpful 

Barry's told him for a few Rand more, he'll fix it for M'lady to find him innocent 

now I'm liking M'lady a bit more 

 Or a doc has given him some tranquillisers.

#oscartrial Masipa: it was said this court ought to consider an enhanced involuntary startle response...

boom!!!  

Judge says #OscarPistorius had no lapse of memory at critical moments. She says "he took conscious decision" to get gun and head to bathroom

that could just be enough to get CH 

 I thought you might.

#oscartrial Masipa: he took a conscious decision, he knew where he kept firearm, where bathroom was, he noticed window open...

Masipa: "At the relevant time the accused could distinguish between right and wrong and he could act in accordance with that distinction."

#OscarTrial Masipa now focuses on defence of 'Putative Private Defence' or mistaken self defence. Did he believe he was under attack?

Masipa finds that Oscar Pistorius evidence about shooting was "contradictory"

#OscarTrial Commentators have been highly critical of defence reliance on two separate defences. Masipa has dismissed one of these now.

andrew harding ‏@BBCAndrewH 7s
Judge says #OscarPistorius evidence was "contradictory, in my view."

Alex Crawford ‏@AlexCrawfordSky 52s
#PistoriusTrial Judge says he took a conscious decision - blow for defence

As we thought, Oscar's testimony is coming back to bite him on the bum.

Can't have self defence without intent. Could be gone too.

Masipa finds that #OscarPistorius knew what he was doing when he armed himself #sabcnews

so his defences are being chucked out 

#OscarPistorius quoted as saying he never fired purposefully into door, and didn't want to shoot intruder. Contradicts self-defence line.