Spin doctor, pathologist, policing experts to assist Pistorius' legal team

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, who faces murder charges of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and a possible life term in prison if convicted, has hired to top-notch legal team to boost his case, reports The Sunday Times. According to the report, Pistorius’ defence includes a top pathologist Dr Reggie Perumal, a spin doctor and policing experts who will be assisting his lawyer Kenny Oldwage and senior advocate, Barry Roux. The report also adds that Perumal was present when state pathologists conducted the post-mortem on Pistorius’ girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius’ lawyer told the Sunday Times that Perumal would assist in a private investigation into the killing of Steemkamp. Interestingly, the spin doctor hired by Pistorius is the former editor of the UK tabloid The Sun, Stuart Higgins. According to this piece on the Guardian, Higgins had given media support to Pistorius during the London 2012 Games as well and is known for his talent in crisis management representing some big names from the sports world in the past, including, Andy Murray, football club Chelsea, etc. [caption id=“attachment_629042” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Oscar Pistorius leaves the court room after his hearing on charge of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. AFP[/caption] Pistorius is expected to apply for bail at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday. Meanwhile the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) has issued a statement saying, that Pistorius should not be granted bail. This report, quotes spokesperson for the organisation Troy Martens, who on Sunday said that the magistrate should take into consideration claims in the media that there is a strong case of premeditated murder against him. Martens also said that, “No women should have to die at the hands of their romantic partner, but research indicates just over 50% of all women murdered are the result of intimate femicide."  According to this post on the New Yorker, South Africa has the highest reported rate of domestic violence in the world, with a WHO report stating, that some sixty thousand women and children in South Africa were victims of domestic violence on a monthly basis in 2012. The Pistorius case has gotten murkier after reports surfaced yesterday of with a local newspaper quoting police sources as saying that a bloodied cricket bat was also at the centre of the evidence against Pistorius. (For more on that click here.)