Pistorius murder trial getting 'special treatment' compared to other Proteas cases: Report

The murder trial of Paralympic sprinter may be getting 'special treatment' as compared to several other cases of the country, according to a report.

In a case where police shot and killed 43 miners in 2012, the footage of the dead miners- in which they were shown shot with their hands tied, with shots to the back of the pelvis and the head or bound behind their backs- were leaked into the social media and were openly shown at the commission of inquiry.

According to Sport24, in contrast, the trial of Pistorius was briefly adjourned so that the prosecution could remove some of the most sensitive images of Reeva Steenkamp's body while the broadcast media was warned that some of the pictures to be shown would be disturbing, and, therefore, there should be fair warning for TV viewers.

As explained by the forensic pathologist who examined Steenkamp's body and declined to discuss that evidence on live television and radio, averting the public gaze at this point is about the good morals of society, and the dignity of the deceased, and respect for the loved ones who still remain.

The report said that the differing treatment of bodies in different cases might spark a serious conversation in South Africa about preserving the dignity of all people, regardless of their social status or wealth.