Bizarre: Lead Police Investigator in Oscar Pistorius Murder Case of Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp is Facing Attempted Murder Charges of his Own

The murder case of Olympic track star Oscar Pistorius just got a little more bizarre. Pistorius has been charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. However, we now have learned that the lead investigator, Hilton Botha, several other police officers are facing attempted murder charges of their own. The officers were allegedly drunk at the time, were arrested on seven counts of attempted murder in 2009. The charges against the officers had been provisionally withdrawn, but the Director of Public Prosecution reinstated them Wednesday and plans to move ahead on the charges later this year. Hmm, the timing of this is rather curious indeed. Four years after the fact and following the high profile murder case of Pistorius which Botha was the lead investigator, this comes out? Interesting indeed.

As Oscar Pistorius returned to court Thursday to seek bail, the sensational case took a new turn when police said the lead investigator is facing seven counts of attempted murder stemming from an incident four years ago.

That investigator, Hilton Botha, and several other police officers apparently fired at a minibus they were chasing in late 2009, spokesman Neville Malila told CNN affiliate eNCA.

The officers were allegedly drunk at the time, the spokesman said.

They were arrested on seven counts of attempted murder — one for each occupant in the minibus, the spokesman said. They were also charged with using firearms under the influence of alcohol, and all of them appeared in court.

The charges were provisionally withdrawn, but the Director of Public Prosecution reinstated them Wednesday and plans to move ahead on the charges later this year, the spokesman said.

In court Thursday, the prosecutors said neither the state, nor Botha, was aware that he might face attempted murder charges, thinking the case had been dropped.

Oscar Pistorius Denies Murder in Killing of Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp … “I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated”

This morning in a court room in Pretoria, South Africa, Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee Olympic track star, flatly stated that  he did not kill his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. In an affidavit read by his defense attorney Barry Rou, it stated, “I fail to understand how I could be charged with murder, let alone premeditated.” “I had no intention to kill my girlfriend.” Pistorius denied that he intended to take her life when he opened fire at a closed bathroom door at his home last week. One has to ask the following question, did he ever ask, who was there? Who shoots indiscriminately at a closed, locked door when you knew your girlfriend was in the home?  Judge Nair adjourned the case until Wednesday without ruling on whether the athlete would be granted bail.

VIDEO from ABC News

Facing a charge of premeditated murder in the death of his girlfriend, Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee track star and one of the world’s best-known athletes, flatly denied on Tuesday that he intended to take her life when he opened fire at a closed bathroom door at his home last week.

His assertion contradicted an earlier accusation from the prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, that Mr. Pistorius committed premeditated murder when he rose from his bed, pulled on artificial legs, walked more than 20 feet from a bedroom and pumped four bullets into the door, three of which struck Reeva Steenkamp on the other side.

It was the first time that either the prosecution or Mr. Pistorius had publicly provided details of their radically divergent accounts of a killing that has shocked the nation and made news around the world.

However, the judge in the case, Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair, has sided with the prosecution and has determined that  Oscar Pistorius will be charged with premeditated murder.

As his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, cowered behind a locked door in a tiny bathroom, Oscar Pistorius strapped on his prosthetic legs, grabbed his pistol, strode seven yards to the door and fired through it four times, killing her, prosecutors alleged Tuesday as they laid out their case against the double-amputee Olympic runner in Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.

According to prosecutor Gerrie Nel, Pistorius’ actions amounted to premeditated murder.

In a major blow for Pistorius, Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair sided with the prosecution, ruling that for the purposes of the bail hearing the charge against Pistorius was premeditated murder, a decision that will make it difficult for him to be granted bail.

Reports Swirl that Oscar Pistorius’ Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was Shot Four Times through Bathroom Door, Also Claims that Steroids & Bloodied Cricket Bat Found in Home

Gun shots, steroids and bloodied cricket bats, oh my …

There are shocking new reports from Johannesburg, South Africa and the murder of Oscar Pistorius’ Girlfriend  Reeva Steenkamp. According to a CNN report, Reeva Steenkamp was shot four times through the bathroom door. We have to take this story with some skepticism as the account is from a South African official familiar with the case who was not authorized to release details to the media. However, if true, and obviously a crime scene investigation of Oscar Pistorius’ home could easily prove whether there are gun shots to the bathroom door, this would disprove the “intruder” defense. Oscar Pistorius has been charged with the murder of Reeva Steenkamp.

Oscar Pistorius, the Blade Runner thought he had issues following this race … now he has the race of his life, Pic: Wired

Model Reeva Steenkamp was shot four times through the bathroom door at the home of Olympian Oscar Pistorius, a South African official familiar with the case told CNN on Monday.

She was alive after she was shot and was carried downstairs by Pistorius, said the official, who was not authorized to release details to the media.

The details are the latest to emerge in the shooting death that has roiled the nation, and left South Africans asking what went so terribly wrong inside the upscale Pretoria home of the man nicknamed “Blade Runner” for his lightning-fast prosthetic legs.

Also, The Sun  (pics) and Daily Mirror are reporting that police found steroids and a blood stained cricket bat at the home of Oscar Pistorius. Another piece of information that we have to take presently with a grain of salt, but if true, completely damning to the Blade Runner. According to South African sources, the discovery of the bloodied cricket bat emerged as police sources reportedly told South Africa’s independent City Press newspaper that Steenkamp’s skull had been “crushed”. Another source reportedly told the paper that “There was lots of blood on the bat.”

Police also discovered a blood-stained cricket bat in the Blade Runner’s mansion in Pretoria, South Africa — and evidence of heavy drinking before the 3am shooting

Cops are now probing a theory that Pistorius may have blasted Reeva in an explosion of fury caused by the performance-boosting steroids.

They are investigating whether murder suspect Pistorius was in the grip of “roid rage” — a side-effect of high doses of the outlawed drugs.

Officers who searched the 26-year-old’s home after lover Reeva was killed in the bathroom are said to have found steroids. Blood samples taken from Pistorius are being tested for the drugs.

A source close to the investigation said: “Steroid drugs were found at Pistorius’s home together with evidence of heavy drinking. That’s why police have specifically ordered that he be tested for steroids.”

More Sacrifice from the Obama’s as US Economy and Americans Struggle … Barack Obama Plays Golf with Tiger Woods & Michelle off with the Girls Out West to Ski

SHARED SACRIFICE AND SKIN IN THE GAME FOR THEE, NOT ‘FORE’ ME …

BARACK OBAMA, THE 1% PRESIDENT: This must be more of that shared sacrifice that President Barack Obama talks about. Oh that’s right, only we peons are supposed to sacrifice, not Obama or the First family. As a matter of fact, not only is the First family not sacrificing, they are doing one better. Barack Obama, Michelle and the first kids are on separate vacations costing the tax payers double. Obama is down in Florida golfing with Tiger Woods and getting golf lessons from Butch Harmon. The golf foursome is being completed by United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Houston Astros owner Jim Crane. You know, exactly what the rest of the 99% can do every day. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama is off skiing with the girls out West on a separate vacation. As Americans continue to struggle, record numbers are on food stamps and disabilities, and individuals are still out of work … Obama sets the example and plays golf.

Just curious, where is Barack Obama’s skin in the game?

President Barack Obama hit the greens Sunday with famed golfer Tiger Woods, according to deputy White House press secretary Josh Earnest.

Obama is spending President’s Day weekend at a sprawling resort in Palm City, Florida, where he’s polishing his golf game. On Saturday, he worked on his swing with Woods’ former coach, Butch Harmon.

The White House did permit press coverage of the golf outing Sunday.

Along with Woods, Obama played with U.S Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Jim Crane, a Democratic donor who owns the resort and the Houston Astros. Obama played with Kirk and Crane on Saturday, as well.

Danica Patrick Wins Daytona 500 Pole and Becomes First Woman to Ever to Win a Pole of Any NASCAR Top Circuit Race

Danica Patrick makes NASCAR history.

This week Danica Patrick has proved that she is not just another pretty face. Although, that’s not to say that she is not a pretty face. In a historic week of race qualifying,  Patrick has won the Daytona 500 pole, becoming the first woman to win the top spot for any NASCAR’s top circuit race. In only her second Daytona 500 she has won the first place pole position. Now she just needs to parlay this into a special run in the Holy Grail of NASCAR racing and finally earn the respect of not just the drivers, but the NSACAR fans and community. The pressure will be on Patrick heading into the Daytona 500 as she finds herself as the hunted, instead of the hunter. The previous highest female qualifier in a Cup race was Janet Guthrie, who started ninth at Bristol and Talladega in 1977. Finally Danica Patrick has done something to make news on the track and not just being a headline because who she is dating, fellow Cup rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr. NASCAR veteran Jeff Gordon qualified second in the No. 24 car. Now we have to see whether Danica can perform on Sunday.  The Daytona 500 race is February 24, 2013 at 1 PM EST.

Danica Patrick has won the Daytona 500 pole, becoming the first woman to secure the top spot for any race in NASCAR’s top circuit. It was the biggest achievement of her stock-car career. “We have a lot more history to make and we’re eager to do it,” Patrick said. Patrick went out eighth in the qualifying session Sunday and covered the 2½-mile superspeedway in 45.817 seconds, averaging 196.434 mph. 

KUDOS to Danica for breaking the pole sitting barrier. Hopefully in time she can be seen as just another driver, not a female one.