I know you will not read this before sentencing on July 6, but hopefully you are considering some of what I have to say …
My wife and I have 2 children, a boy and a girl. Both are slightly older than Oscar. If someone had to shoot and kill either one of them, I would not only want that person to be sent to jail for life, I would want that person killed. I would want that son-of-a-b… to suffer the same fate. In all honesty, I would love the satisfaction of doing it myself.
It is human nature.
But it isn’t right!
As parents we taught our kids that crime is wrong, that to commit murder is wrong. We taught our kids that to respond to violence with more violence or vengeance is wrong. The State and a large portion of the public feel otherwise. We taught our kids that life, all life, is sacred. The State and a large portion of the general public feel otherwise.
Sending someone to prison for 15 years for an unintentional, tragic, accidental murder, is akin to taking a life.
The State spoke about retribution. The State asked for the maximum punishment. “Retribution” is defined as “punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act”. “Vengeance” is defined as “the desire for revenge”.
The vengeance the State has pleaded for is the maximum sentence. It is a premeditated act of revenge - a premeditated act of revenge as punishment for the unplanned, tragic, accidental murder committed by Oscar.
It isn’t right.
The vengeance the State has pleaded for was done with clarity of mind, with reason and, in my opinion, with the aim of appeasing the prosecution’s ego.
It isn’t right.
The vengeance the State has pleaded for is one of ceremony, to appease the public at large, to satisfy the bloodthirsty amongst us.
It isn’t right.
Sending Oscar to prison for 15 years might bring closure to Reeva’s family. I don’t know. It will no doubt bring cheers from a large portion of the bloodthirsty South African public. It will forever take away and ruin a young man’s life – a young man capable of becoming a productive member of society if given the chance.
It just isn’t right.
To quote Clarence Darrow in Leopold and Loeb:
“I am pleading for the future; I am pleading for a time when hatred and cruelty will not control the hearts of men. When we can learn by reason and judgment and understanding and faith that all life is worth saving, and that mercy is the highest attribute of man”.
I believe that Oscar will suffer for as long as he lives, notwithstanding any punishment you may, or may not, decide upon.
May you have reason, understanding and mercy in your heart.