Porn Infiltrates the Oscar Pistorius Case

SOUTH AFRICA—Leaked documents reportedly indicate that South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius, currently preparing to be tried for what the prosecutors allege was the intentional killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in their Pretoria home last year, was surfing porn sites that same day, Valentine's Day. The report of mobile porn surfing was made by The Independent, which went on to characterize the meaning of the revelation. "A leaked document believed to be part of the court investigation reportedly alleges the athlete was surfing pornographic material on his mobile while Steenkamp was in the house on Valentine's Day in direct contrast to 'a loving couple spending their time together,'" wrote Maria Tadeo for the paper. Other papers seem to be taking the same line, but one observer at least is striking back against the notion that any porn surfing, if indeed it happened on that day, has any meaning at all. "Don’t be too shocked that the media are reporting the allegation that Pistorius was surfing porn just hours before killing Reeva Steenkamp as if it were A Significant Thing," observed Chris McEvoy on women24.com. "It’s not, in all practicality. But we think it is, so it is." He further notes, "Why do we construct this spurious connection between onscreen shagging and real life violence? Sex is pretty much the nicest thing you can do with (and to) another person, but murdering them? Not so much. Actually, quite the opposite. "It would seem far more reasonable to find significance in the fact that (for example) Pistorius had cornflakes for breakfast, and people who eat cornflakes do bad things all the time." In fact, the same reports that have the Blade Runner surfing porn also had him visiting used car websites. In other Pistorius news, the court ruled today that the trial, or parts of it anyway, will be televised. The defense was trying to prevent a televised trial, which is slated to start March 3.