Antony Altbeker at the Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre, Tweet by Tweet
by Claire on Oct 8th, 2010 
Antony Altbeker’s Fruit of a Poisoned Tree unwraps one of the most sensational and controversial murder trials in South African legal history, the Inge Lotz trial. It’s his eye-witness account of the epic courtroom battle. It’s all the evidence. It’s the testimony. It’s a society whose justice system is stretched to breaking point.
Altbeker discussed his book at the Rabbi Cyril Harris Community Centre in Johannesburg yesterday evening, and his fellow Jonathan Ball author Fiona Snyckers was on hand to tweet what he said. Here are the highlights:
#Altbeker‘s ‘Fruit Of A Poisoned Tree’ deals with trial of Fred van der Vyver for murder of his girlfriend, Stellenbosch student Inge Lotz
Fiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
The evidence against van der Vyfer seemed overwhelming until the defence legal team systematically picked the State’s case apart. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
One of the things police are most interested in finding at a crime scene are fingerprints. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Fingerprints technology only emerged at end of 19th century. Hard to imagine how policing functioned without it. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
A man named William Herschel who was working in India pioneered the idea of fingerprinting. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
How do we know that fingerprints are unique? Chances of there being 2 identical prints are 1 in 64 billion. That is unique enough. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Police only ever find partial fingerprints. SA courts accept 7 points of similarity as a match. Smallest number of any country. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
All of this is irrelevant to my case (laughter). There was no dispute that print belonged to Fred van der Vyver. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Van der Vyver had an alibi. Works at Old Mutual in a high-security building. He had been at work and then went home. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Police said alibi didn’t matter because they had his print on a DVD cover Inge Lotz had rented at 3pm, shortly before death.Fiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Defence claimed print was lifted off a juice glass that Vyver had used that morning. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Q from Frank Snyckers in audience: did police genuinely believe they had right guy or were they cynically fabricating evidence? #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Answer: Police started out over-zealously convinced van der Vyver guilty. Ended up covering their own butts as it all went south #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Q from Frank Snyckers: Why was defence counsel so determined to keep van der Vyver from testifying? What was he afraid of? #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Answer: So much bad press about van der Vyver, including false report he murdered former g-friend, it would’ve been prejudicial. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Question from audience: Who do you think did it? #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Answer: I have to be discreet because civil trial in which van der Vyver is suing police for malicious prosecution is pending… #altbekerFiona Snyckers
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Answer:… but there were a few other suspects, including van der Vyver’s roommate, a family member, & members of local tik gang #altbekerFiona Snyckers
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Q from audience: Why did the Afrikaans establishment (media & church) turn against van der Vyver to such an extent? #altbekerFiona Snyckers
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Answer: Because van der Vyvwver belonged to rather eccentric church that was seen as a cult, & as falling outside NG Kerk norms. #altbekerFiona Snyckers
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Finally – Q from audience: Will you be following the civil trial? #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
Answer: I wish I could, but unfortunately I’ve got a job now and have given up my life of crime. (laughter) Got a bond to pay! #altbekerFiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
And that’s the end of the #altbeker tweets. He is an extremely impressive and cogent speaker.Fiona Snyckers
FionaSnyckers
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Book details
- Fruit of a Poisoned Tree: A True Story of Murder and the Miscarriage of Justice by Anthony Altbeker
Book homepage
EAN: 9781868423330
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