Oscar Pistorius has begun serving community service, a month after he was released from jail.
The South African Paralympian athlete was granted parole after serving one year of his five-year sentence for killing his 29-year-old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.
Oscar Pistorius, 28, must perform community service under the terms of his release.
In his first public appearance since then, the athlete reported to a police station in Pretoria on November 15 wearing sunglasses and carrying a backpack.
He is serving the rest of his sentence under house arrest at his uncle’s home in Pretoria.
Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, over the death of Reeva Steenkamp.
He told his trial last year that he had shot her through a bathroom door because he had mistaken her for an intruder.
The prosecution is appealing against the verdict, saying Oscar Pistorius should have been convicted of murder.
Oscar Pistorius house arrest conditions:
No access to firearms
No taking of drugs or alcohol, and can be randomly tested by officials
He must continue with psychotherapy sessions
No going out at night
He can work and will not be electronically tagged
His lawyers say track and field training is part of work, but this is still unclear
Prosecutors have started an appeal hearing on whether Oscar Pistorius should be convicted of murder instead of culpable homicide.
Oscar Pistorius, 28, was released from prison last month after serving one year of his five-year term for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The Paralympic champion shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door in 2013 but insists he thought she was an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius could be sent back to jail if appeal judges overturn the original verdict.
He is currently under house arrest, and is not attending the hearing at South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein.
The proceedings are being broadcast live on TV.
State prosecutor Gerrie Nel has been outlining the state’s case for the verdict to be changed to murder from culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
The prosecution says that Judge Thokozile Masipa incorrectly applied the law of murder. It argues that Oscar Pistorius should have foreseen the result of his actions, namely that shooting four times through a closed bathroom door would result in a person’s death.
Oscar Pistorius said he believed there was an intruder in the house and thought Reeva Steenkamp was in the bedroom.
The prosecution will argue that who was behind the bathroom door is irrelevant, and Oscar Pistorius’ intent was to kill.
The final ruling will not be known for some weeks, reports say.
Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of the culpable homicide of his 29-year-old girlfriend at a trial in October 2014.
Reeva Steenkamp’s relatives have said they think Oscar Pistorius is “getting off lightly”.
The double amputee was released from prison on October 19. Under South African law, Oscar Pistorius was eligible for release under “correctional supervision”, having served a sixth of his sentence.
Oscar Pistorius’ family said he would “strictly” adhere to his parole conditions at his uncle’s upmarket home in Pretoria.
Oscar Pistorius has been released from jail and put under house arrest nearly one year after he was imprisoned for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The Paralympic athlete is expected to spend the remainder of a five-year prison sentence at his uncle’s home in Pretoria.
Oscar Pistorius, 28, shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door but said he thought she was an intruder.
Reeva Steenkamp’s relatives say they think Oscar Pistorius is “getting off lightly”.
Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, in October 2014.
A case lodged by the prosecution appealing that decision is due to be heard by the Supreme Court of Appeal on November 4. State prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius should have instead been convicted of murder.
Oscar Pistorius was released on October 19, a day earlier than expected, according to a spokesman from the Kgosi Mampuru II prison, where he was being held.
“Oscar Pistorius was placed under correctional supervision tonight,” Manelisi Wolela confirmed in a statement.
“The handling of the actual placement is an operational matter of the local management, and how they handle it is their prerogative that is carried out in the best interest of all parties concerned, the victims, the offender and the Department of Correctional Services,” he added.
Oscar Pistorius was driven under cover of darkness to his uncle’s house 20 minutes away.
It is understood he will not be electronically tagged but he will have restrictions on his movement.
Oscar Pistorius’ parole conditions include gun ownership restrictions and continued psychotherapy sessions. The double-amputee is also expected to do a period of community service.
Under South African law, Oscar Pistorius was eligible for release under “correctional supervision” having served a sixth of his sentence.
Meanwhile, a close family friend of Oscar Pistorius said he was in poor physical shape, adding that his return to athletics would be unlikely.
If the prosecution is successful with its appeal in November, Oscar Pistorius could face a lengthy sentence back in prison.
Oscar Pistorius will be moved from jail to house arrest on October 20, a South African parole board says.
The Paralympic athlete, who is jailed for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was sentenced to five years in prison in 2014 after being found guilty of culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
Oscar Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door but said he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution has appealed, saying the double-amputee should instead be convicted of murder.
That case is expected to be heard on November 3.
Oscar Pistorius has spent 12 months in jail and will now spend the rest of his sentence under what is termed in South Africa “correctional supervision”, the parole board said.
Photo Getty Images
An earlier decision to release Oscar Pistorius in August was blocked by South Africa’s Justice Minister Michael Masutha, who said it had been made “prematurely”.
At the time, Reeva Steenkamp’s family had said that 10 months behind bars was “not enough”.
Responding to today’s decision, a lawyer speaking for the Steenkamp family said Reeva’s parents had expected the early release even though they opposed it, adding that nothing could bring back their daughter.
The Pistorius family has said they have received the news of his planned release, but are not making any further comment.
During his house arrest, Oscar Pistorius is likely to face restrictions in terms of gun ownership and may have to continue getting psychotherapy.
Oscar Pistorius, 28, shot to global fame after competing for South Africa at both the Olympics and Paralympics in London in 2012.
Two South African men who rent the house where athlete Oscar Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp have been filmed giving a “bizarre” tour around the property.
David Scott, 33, and Kagiso Mokoape, 23, leased the house in Pretoria after it was sold by Oscar Pistorius to cover his legal bills.
In the video, the two business partners promise to hosts parties there, saying: “Oscar built this house to entertain.”
David Scott also said they intended to decorate the house “in honor of what happened here.”
Oscar Pistorius family spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess described the footage as “bizarre” to the South African press.
Photo YouTube
David Scott and Kagiso Mokoape show the South African TV channel Netwerk24 around the house. A version of the video is still on the network’s English language website.
While apparently drinking a can of beer, David Scott told the channel: “This is definitely an entertainer’s house.”
During the video, Dvaid Scott opens the toilet door, through which Reeva Steenkamp was shot four times, to show where she died.
While in the bathroom, Kagiso Mokoape says: “I feel bad for Reeva’s parents”.
The bathroom has since been refurbished.
An online poll by the South African website IOL found that readers were closely split on whether it would be distasteful to hold a party at the house.
The South African parole board is due to decide later this week whether to release Oscar Pistorius to house arrest.
The Paralympic champion was convicted of manslaughter last year but cleared of murder.
The appeal against the double amputee’s acquittal on murder charges is to be heard next month.
Oscar Pistorius insists he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius has been ordered to undergo psychotherapy by a judge-led panel which upheld a decision taken in August to block his release from prison.
The treatment should focus on the factors leading to the crime that he committed, an official statement said.
The convicted South African athlete shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in 2013, saying he mistook her for a burglar.
Oscar Pistorius, now 28, was convicted of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, in 2014.
The double amputee had hoped to be released in August after a parole board ruled that he could serve the rest of his five-year prison sentence under house arrest.
However, South Africa’s Justice Minister Michael Masutha prevented the release, saying the decision had been taken prematurely.
At the time of his intervention, Oscar Pistorius had been granted parole only six months into his five-year sentence.
Michael Masutha argued that the law states that an offender can only be considered for parole after serving one-sixth of his sentence, in this case 10 months.
On October 5, a panel, led by Judge Lucy Mailula, ruled that Michael Masutha had acted correctly.
It said the parole board should again consider Ocar Pistorius’ request to be placed under house arrest, or correctional supervision.
The panel ruled that psychotherapy should be given “even if the offender is, indeed placed under correctional supervision”, the prisons department said in a statement.
Oscar Pistorius should “be subjected to psychotherapy in order to address criminogenic factors of the crime he committed,” it said.
It also ruled that the parole board should consider imposing conditions restricting the use of firearms by the offender, the statement added.
Reeva Steenkamp was killed after he fired multiple shots though a locked door on Valentine’s Day 2013.
High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa acquitted Oscar Pistorius of murder in 2014, saying there was insufficient proof to convict him.
The prosecution has appealed against the acquittal and the case will be heard next month by some of South Africa’s most senior judges.
Oscar Pistorius, who was born without the fibulas in both of his legs, and had surgery to amputate both below the knee while still a baby, went on to become one of South Africa’s best-known sports stars, and was the first amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 London Olympics.
A South-African parole board review panel which will decide whether to free Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius from jail has started meeting on September 18.
South Africa’s justice minister blocked Oscar Pistorius’ early release in August in a surprise move.
It is not clear when the panel will rule whether the initial decision to free him early was correct.
Oscar Pistorius, 28, has served 11 months of his 5-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013.
The review board, which is meeting in the eastern port city of Durban, comprises a panel of legal experts chaired by a judge.
Journalists from local media have gathered outside the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria, where Oscar Pistorius is being held, in anticipation of a potential decision on September 19.
Under South African law, Oscar Pistorius is eligible for release under house arrest, having served a sixth of his sentence.
A court convicted the double-amputee athlete of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, over the killing of Reeva Steenkamp.
Oscar Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door at his home in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, believing she was an intruder, he told his trial.
The prosecution has appealed against the ruling, saying Oscar Pistorius should instead be convicted of murder.
Oscar Pistorius’ defense team has failed to block an appeal by prosecutors against his acquittal on murder charges.
The South African Paralympian was cleared of murder in 2014 but was sentenced to 5 years in jail for the lesser charge of culpable homicide.
Prosecutors are seeking a murder conviction after Oscar Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013.
On March 13, the Johannesburg High Court rejected the application by Oscar Pistorius’ defense team to stop the prosecutors’ appeal.
After a short hearing, Judge Thokozile Masipa said procedure did not allow her to grant or refuse the application.
“In my view, to entertain this application will be tantamount to reviewing my own decision,” she said.
“For one thing there is really nothing new in the submissions by counsel for the applicant.”
Photo Getty Images
The double amputee athlete was acquitted by Judge Thokozile Masipa of both premeditated murder and the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis, also known as common-law murder in September last year.
In South African law, this charge applies if the accused knew they might kill someone but still went ahead with their course of action.
Oscar Pistorius says he shot Reeva Steenkamp accidentally, after mistaking her for a burglar.
Prosecutors are pushing for the appeal because they believe that a full bench of judges in the Supreme Court of Appeal will agree with them that Judge Thokozile Masipa misinterpreted the principles of dolus eventualis and will both convict him of murder and impose a longer sentence.
Oscar Pistorius’ lawyers have launched a legal bid to prevent prosecutors from appealing against his acquittal on murder charges.
Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled in December that prosecutors could appeal against the acquittal.
She had sentenced the South African athlete to five years in prison for the lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
Oscar Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013.
He said he mistook her for a burglar, while prosecutors argued that he shot her after a row at his upmarket home in the capital, Pretoria.
The double amputee athlete was acquitted by Judge Thokozile Masipa of both premeditated murder and the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis, also known as common-law murder.
In South African law, this charge applies if the accused knew they might kill someone but still went ahead with their course of action.
Prosecutors argued that Judge Thokozile Masipa misinterpreted the law when she cleared Pistorius of murder on the basis that he did not intentionally shoot Reeva Steenkamp.
Giving them permission to appeal in December, the judge said: “I cannot say… that the prospect of success at the Supreme Court of Appeal is remote.”
On March 13, Oscar Pistorius’ lawyers will appear before Judge Thokozile Masipa and intend to cite previous cases to back their argument that the appeal should not be allowed.
South African Judge Thokozile Masipa has ruled that prosecutors can appeal against the “culpable homicide” conviction of double amputee athlete Oscar Pistorius.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, was jailed for five years in October for shooting dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said prosecutors could not challenge the length of the sentence given to Oscar Pistorius.
Oscar Pistorius’s lawyers had opposed the appeal request.
Prosecutors are seeking a murder conviction and the case will now go before South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal.
They have argued that Judge Thokozile Masipa misinterpreted the law when she ruled that Oscar Pistorius did not intentionally shoot Reeva Steenkamp.
Judge Thokozile Masipa Masipa announced the ruling in a Pretoria court on December 10.
“I cannot say… that the prospect of success at the Supreme Court of Appeal is remote,” she said.
“The application therefore in respect of count one is decided in favor of the applicant.
“The application for leave to appeal against the sentence is dismissed.”
Oscar Pistorius had been charged by the prosecution with the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate.
He was also acquitted of the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis – also known as common-law murder – by Judge Thokozile Masipa, who ruled that he did not intend to kill.
The prosecution had called for the maximum 15-year sentence for culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead at Oscar Pistorius’ home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year. He said he feared there was an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius is serving the sentence in the hospital wing of Pretoria’s Kgosi Mampuru II prison.
Correspondents say the appeal is likely to take place in 2015.
Judge Thokozile Masipa has delayed to December 10 her ruling on whether prosecutors can appeal against what they call the “shockingly light” sentence passed on South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, was jailed for five years in October for the culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, whom he killed on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Prosecutors also want to challenge Oscar Pistorius’ acquittal on murder charges.
His lawyers opposed the appeal request and said the sentence was not lenient.
The double-amputee sprinter had been charged by the prosecution with the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate.
Oscar Pistorius was also acquitted of the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis by High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa.
In South African law, this charge – also known as common-law murder – applies if the accused knew they might kill someone but still went ahead with their course of action.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said she would rule on December 10 whether the prosecution’s appeal could go ahead.
Oscar Pistorius was not in court on December 9 when prosecutor Gerrie Nel outlined his case.
The prosecutor told Judge Masipa she had misinterpreted the law when she acquitted Oscar Pistorius of murder, and sentenced him to five years in prison.
“The precedent set by this court is shockingly low,” Gerrie Nel said.
However, Oscar Pistorius’ legal team argued that the prosecution’s case was flawed and the judge had correctly applied the law.
“It’s incorrect to say it’s a light sentence. It’s not,” defense lawyer Barry Roux said.
Addressing the judge, he added: “Their problem is they don’t like your factual finding. They don’t appreciate that. You absolutely, correctly applied the law.”
Correspondents say it is common in South Africa for the same judge to hear an appeal against their own verdicts.
Judges often grant the request because they are confident they applied the law correctly and their judgement will stand up to scrutiny.
South African criminal lawyer Martin Hood told AFP news agency that he expected Judge Thokozile Masipa to agree to the prosecution’s request because there was “just too much controversy about the judgement”.
In papers filed with the court in November, Gerrie Nel said the judge had “erred in over-emphasizing the personal circumstances of the accused”.
The judge, Gerrie Nel said, had failed to sufficiently consider that Oscar Pistorius had fired four shots “through a locked door into a small toilet cubicle from which there was no room to escape”.
The prosecution had called for the maximum 15-year sentence for culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
Oscar Pistorius is serving the sentence in the hospital wing of Pretoria’s Kgosi Mampuru II prison. He can apply to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest after 10 months.
Prosecutors are going to appeal against the conviction and sentence given to South African athlete Oscar Pistorius for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Last week, Oscar Pistorius, 27, began serving a five year prison sentence for the culpable homicide of Reeva Steenkamp, although he could be out in 10 months.
The double-amputee Olympic sprinter was cleared of murder.
“The appeal on conviction is based on the question of law,” the national prosecuting spokesman said.
Oscar Pistorius’ family said that he will not appeal.
The athlete was also given a three-year suspended sentence for firing a gun in a restaurant.
Prosecutors are going to appeal against the conviction and sentence given to Oscar Pistorius for killing Reeva Steenkamp
“The prosecutors are now preparing the necessary papers in order to be able to file within the next few days,” Nathi Mncube from the National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement.
Oscar Pistorius was charged by the prosecution with the pre-meditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a model and law graduate.
He was acquitted of this and the lesser murder charge of dolus eventualis.
In South African law, this charge – also known as common-law murder – applies if the accused knew they might kill someone but still went ahead with their course of action.
The judge’s critics have argued that dolus eventualis includes the possibility of meaning to kill one person and ending up killing another.
Oscar Pistorius says he shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in the house.
In a recent interview, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother has said that it was bad luck her daughter met Oscar Pistorius as the “volatile” athlete “would have killed someone sooner or later”.
Speaking to The Times, June Steenkamp calls Oscar Pistorius “pathetic”, “moody”, “gun-toting” and “possessive”.
June Steenkamp rejects both Oscar Pistorius’ apology and his version of events, but admits: “He’s the only one who knows the truth.”
Oscar Pistorius, 27, is serving five years for the culpable homicide of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He could be out in 10 months.
The Paralympic champion was cleared of murder.
June Steenkamp, 68, told The Times, which is serializing her book, Reeva: A Mother’s Story, which is to be published on November 6, that Reeva had told her the couple had not yet entered a s**ual relationship and had “nagging doubts about their compatibility”.
She says: “She had confided to me that she hadn’t slept with him. They’d shared a bed, but she was scared to take the relationship to that level.
“She wouldn’t want to sleep with Oscar if she wasn’t sure. I believe their relationship was coming to an end. In her heart of hearts, she didn’t think it was making either of them happy.”
June Steenkamp rejects both Oscar Pistorius’ apology and his version of events
June Steenkamp, who was not called to testify at the trial, says this may have played a part in what happened on the night of the shooting, Valentine’s Day last year.
She rejects his version of events, that there was no row and that he had thought there was an intruder in the toilet cubicle when he fired four shots through the door “without thinking”.
“There is no doubt in our minds that something went horribly wrong, something upset her so terribly that she hid behind a locked door with two mobile phones,” June Steenkamp writes.
Other words she uses to describe Oscar Pistorius are “arrogant”, “moody”, “combustible”, “trigger-happy”, “vague”, “evasive” and “shifty”.
She believes Reeva, 29, was about to leave Oscar Pistorius, 27.
She says: “Her clothes were packed. There is no doubt in our minds: she had decided to leave Oscar that night.”
In the excerpt of the book serialized in the paper, June Steenkamp refers to Oscar Pistorius’ apology to them in court.
“Why decide to say sorry to me in a televised trial in front of the whole world? I was unmoved by his apology.
“I felt if I appeared to be sorry for him at this stage of his trial on the charge of premeditated murder, it would in the eyes of others lessen the awfulness of what he had done. He was in the box trying to save his own skin.”
Nevertheless, the parents say they do want to meet Oscar Pistorius.
Although she says: “I am not entirely sure what I am going to say”, father Barry, 71, says he wants an apology.
“I would like him to really, truthfully say, although he said it in court, <<I’m sorry>>. I would like him just to say it to our faces.”
June Steenkamp also talks about the “wrenching pain that you get in your heart” when thinking of her daughter’s death.
“It’s always there. The minute your eyes open in the morning, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, there it is.”
Oscar Pistorius, an amputee sprinter, became the first athlete to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
He is serving his sentence in Pretoria’s Kgosi Mampuru II jail.
Oscar Pistorius was also given a three-year suspended sentence for firing a gun in a restaurant.
Oscar Pistorius offered a lump sum of $34,000 to the parents of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp after he killed her, a South African court has heard.
However, Reeva Steenkamp’s family rejected the sum as “blood money”, prosecutor Gerrie Nel revealed during his sentencing hearing.
Earlier, a defense witness told the court that Oscar Pistorius, 27, would be physically at risk if sent to prison.
The Paralympic champion has been found guilty of culpable homicide, but cleared of murder.
The defense is trying to show that prison would be an inappropriate punishment.
Oscar Pistorius’ offer of a lump sum of 375,000 rand to the Steenkamp family emerged on the second day of his sentencing hearing, during the cross-examination of defense witness Annette Vergeer.
Oscar Pistorius offered a lump sum of $34,000 to the parents of Reeva Steenkamp after he killed her
Gerrie Nel told Annette Vergeer that Oscar Pistorius raised the funds from selling his car.
The prosecutor added that Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, had rejected the offer.
“She does not want blood money,” he said.
Gerrie Nel also highlighted separate monthly payments of 6,000 rand ($540) made by Oscar Pistorius to the Steenkamps – who were short of money after their daughter’s death.
The prosecutor said these funds – mentioned in Annette Vergeer’s report – would be “paid back to the accused in full – every cent”.
The Steenkamps’ lawyer, Dup De Bruyn, explained that the couple were now “reasonably comfortable” after he had negotiated a series of media deals concerning their daughter’s death.
The Pistorius family later accused Gerrie Nel of giving a distorted picture in court of the financial agreement with the Steenkamps, and said they would provide a full statement on Wednesday, October 15.
Oscar Pistorius’ brother, Carl Pistorius, has been “badly hurt” in a car accident, his family said.
Local media report that Carl Pistorius is in ICU after a head-on collision near Pretoria.
The incident comes six days before Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial is set to resume.
During his murder trial, Oscar Pistorius denies killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, saying he shot her believing she was an intruder.
Carl Pistorius is in ICU after a head-on collision near Pretoria (photo EPA)
On Friday it was announced that Oscar Pistorius, 27, had sold the Pretoria house where the shooting took place to help cover his legal fees.
The house sold for 4.5-million rand ($418,000), slightly below the estimated value of 5-million rand.
Carl Pistorius, 29, “was badly hurt but we are thankful that he is out of danger” his family said in a statement.
His car had been hit by another vehicle which had swerved from the opposite side of the road, the statement added.
South African media reported that Carl Pistorius sustained multiple fractures and suffered internal bleeding.
He has been a near-constant presence at Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial.
Oscar Pistorius has described how Carl became a “father figure” for himself and his sister after their parents’ marriage broke down and their mother died.
In May last year Carl Pistorius was acquitted of culpable homicide over the death of a motorcyclist in South Africa in 2008.
The Oscar Pistorius trial is set to resume on August 7, with both teams expected to present their closing arguments.
Oscar Pistorius was involved in an argument at a nightclub at the weekend, his spokesperson has said.
The South African athlete had an altercation with businessman Jared Mortimer who said he was drunk, The Star newspaper says.
Oscar Pistorius’ spokesperson said the argument took place after Jared Mortimer started to “aggressively interrogate” him about his murder trial.
Reeva Steenkamp was killed at Oscar Pistorius’ home in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria, on February 14, 2013.
Jared Mortimer said he got involved in a row with Oscar Pistorius at the nightclub in Johannesburg’s upmarket suburb of Sandton, after the athlete insulted his friends and South African President Jacob Zuma’s family, The Star reports.
Oscar Pistorius had an altercation with businessman Jared Mortimer at a Johannesburg nightclub (photo AP)
“I took that personally because I am very good friends with a member of the Zuma family,” Jared Mortimer is quoted as saying.
Jared Mortimer said the Olympic sprinter was intoxicated and started to poke him in the chest while they were talking.
The businessman said he then pushed Oscar Pistorius away from him and the athlete fell over a chair.
The club’s bouncers helped Oscar Pistorius up, but were asked to remove him after he “had a confrontation with another man”, Jared Mortimer is quoted as saying.
Anneliese Burgess, a spokeswoman for Oscar Pistorius’ family, disputed Jared Mortimer’s version of events.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, was in the VIP section of the club when he was approached by a man who had since been identified as Jared Mortimer, she said.
“The individual, according to my client, started to aggressively interrogate him on matters relating to the trial,” said Anneliese Burgess.
She added that Oscar Pistorius “regrets the decision to go to a public space and thereby inviting unwelcome attention”.
On Sunday, hours after the incident, Oscar Pistorius tweeted for the first time since the death of Reeva Steenkamp.
He tweeted a Bible verse, a collage of pictures of his humanitarian work, and an extract from Viktor Frankl’s book Man’s Search for Meaning.
Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial was adjourned last week for closing arguments on August 7.
The psychiatrist evaluating Oscar Pistorius in the trial for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, has suffered a heart attack.
However, this is not expected to delay the trial, which resumes on June 30, the prosecution say.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, is due to complete a 30-day psychiatric assessment on Friday.
The judge in his trial ordered the tests after a defense witness said the double amputee was suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing his girlfriend and says he accidentally shot her through the toilet door on Valentine’s Day last year in a state of panic, mistaking the 29-year-old model and law graduate for an intruder.
The South African Paralympic champion checked in as a day patient to Pretoria’s Weskoppies psychiatric hospital on May 26, where he has been assessed by a team of health experts for seven hours a day.
Three psychiatrists and a clinical psychologist were tasked to determine whether his state of mind and disability had an effect on him when he shot Reeva Steenkamp.
South Africa’s eNCA broadcaster earlier reported that the psychiatrist’s heart attack may have caused a delay in the handing over of Oscar Pistorius’ psychiatric evaluation report.
The psychiatrist in question, Dr. Leon Fine, had not yet signed the report, according to eNCA’s website.
The prosecution had argued the tests were essential after forensic psychiatrist Merryll Vorster, who diagnosed the athlete with GAD, told the court he was “a danger to society”.
The defense vigorously opposed the move.
The court in Pretoria is expected to hear the outcome of Oscar Pistorius’ medical tests when the trial resumes on Monday.
Oscar Pistorius has said he was “besotted” with his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as he gave evidence at his murder trial.
The athlete said he and Reeva Steenkamp had been talking about “future plans” together.
He also read out messages they had sent each other, including one where she said he scared her sometimes.
Oscar Pistorius denies deliberately shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp in his home on Valentine’s Day last year, arguing he mistook her for an intruder.
On his first day on the stand, the athlete made a tearful apology to Reeva Steenkamp’s family.
The trial was adjourned on Monday after he was overcome with emotion.
Responding to his questioning by his lawyer Barry Roux, Oscar Pistorius said that in January 2013: “I was very keen on Reeva. If anything I was more keen than she was.”
He said they had a shared interest in cars and had spent Christmas together after meeting on November 4, 2012.
Oscar Pistorius has said he was “besotted” with his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as he gave evidence at his murder trial
“I let her just take her space – it wasn’t always easy I was besotted with her… the relationship built up to a point in December, January that we really needed, we started caring about each other, we start talking about future plans.”
Barry Roux has also asked him to comment on “tensions” in their relationship and on WhatsApp messages Reeva Steenkamp sent him in which she expresses disquiet about his attitude towards her, accusing him of “double standards”.
Tears streamed down the athlete’s face as he read out the messages sent to him by Reeva Steenkamp during his testimony, which is not being filmed.
On Monday, Oscar Pistorius told Reeva Steenkamp’s relatives that there “hasn’t been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven’t thought about your family”.
He said: “I can’t imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness that I’ve caused you and your family.”
“I was simply trying to protect Reeva. I can promise that when she went to bed that night she felt loved.”
Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, sat stony-faced while Oscar Pistorius spoke.
The athlete admitted to taking anti-depressants and sleeping pills, saying he was “scared to sleep” and suffered from “terrible nightmares”.
He also told the court that he had regularly been confronted with violence, including break-ins and assaults, while he was growing up.
Oscar Pistorius became emotional when he detailed how important religion had been to him and Reeva Steenkamp. His counsel eventually asked for an adjournment.
Prior to Oscar Pistorius’ appearance, the trial had already heard 15 days of prosecution-led testimony, which relied on accounts from neighbors and specialist ballistics experts, as well forensic and mobile phone evidence.
Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius has started his testimony at his murder trial in Pretoria by apologizing to the family of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
An emotional Oscar Pistorius said he was “trying to protect” Reeva Steenkamp and said he could not imagine their pain.
Oscar Pistorius said he suffered “terrible nightmare” and often woke up smelling Reeva Steenkamp’s blood.
Prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013 after an argument. He says he mistook her for an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius told Reeva Steenkamp’s relatives that there “hasn’t been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven’t thought about your family”.
“I wake up every morning and you’re the first people I think of, the first people I pray for. I can’t imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness that I’ve caused you and your family.
“I was simply trying to protect Reeva. I can promise that when she went to bed that night she felt loved.
“I’ve tried to put my words on paper many. many times to write to you. But no words will ever suffice.”
Oscar Pistorius has started his testimony at his murder trial in Pretoria by apologizing to the family of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp (photo EPA)
The athlete said he is taking anti-depressants and sleeping pills.
“I’m scared to sleep, I have terrible nightmares, I can smell blood and wake up terrified,” he said.
Oscar Pistorius added that he never wanted to handle a gun again.
The trial in Pretoria was delayed for a week after one of the assessors assisting the judge fell ill.
Defense lawyer Barry Roux said he will call 14 to 17 witnesses in his case to testify on “ballistics, urine emptying, damage to the toilet door, sound, and disability and vulnerability.”
Earlier, Oscar Pistorius’ defense team called on pathologist Jan Botha as its first witness.
Jan Botha, a private pathologist who said he has carried out about 25,000 autopsies, was asked about gastric emptying and calculating Reeva Steenkamp’s time of death.
Earlier in the trial, the state called forensic pathologist Gert Saayman who said vegetable matter in Reeva Steenkamp’s stomach suggested she had eaten around two hours prior to her death, which contradicted Oscar Pistorius’ version of events.
Jan Botha disputed this conclusion, saying that determining the time of death through gastric emptying is guesswork, calling it a “highly controversial and inexact science”.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel was fierce in his cross-examination of Jan Botha and sought to suggest that his evidence was unreliable since he did not attend Reeva Steenkamp’s autopsy and worked from photograps.
The pathologist accepted that he was “not a ballistician” after appearing to contradict the state’s account of the sequence of shots that killed Reeva Steenkamp.
But he insisted he was not there to “win the case for either the defense or the prosecution” after being accused by Gerrie Nel of making his findings fit with the defense case.
“I’m here to assist the court,” Jan Botha said.
Oscar Pistorius held his head in his hands and sobbed loudly as Reeva Steenkamp’s injuries were discussed.
The trial has already heard 15 days of prosecution-led testimony, which has relied on accounts from neighbors and specialist ballistics experts, as well forensic and mobile phone evidence.
One neighbor, Michelle Burger, told the court she was awoken by a woman’s “terrible screams” followed by gun shots.
Oscar Pistorus aims to convince the court that the screams were his, and that he shot Reeva Steenkamp through a closed toilet door because he had mistaken her for an intruder.
Defendants who choose to testify are the first defense witnesses in South Africa but Jan Botha was allowed to testify first because of a family illness.
The defense is also likely to address key questions, including allegations that Oscar Pistorius, 27, was reckless with guns and in not checking the whereabouts of his girlfriend before he opened fire.
Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial has resumed in Pretoria, South Africa, with the start of the defense case.
Oscar Pistorius’ defense team called on pathologist Jan Botha as its first witness after a week’s adjournment.
The Paralympic athlete is expected to take the stand after Jan Botha to tell the court how and why he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp after an argument. He denies shooting deliberately, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
The trial was postponed for a week after one of the assessors assisting the judge fell ill.
Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial has resumed in Pretoria with the start of the defense case
Under South African law, there is no jury system and two assessors, normally lawyers or retired magistrates, help the judge reach a decision in serious cases.
The trial has already heard 15 days of prosecution-led testimony, which has relied on accounts from neighbors and specialist ballistics experts, as well forensic and mobile phone evidence.
One neighbor, Michelle Burger, told the court she was awoken by a woman’s “terrible screams” followed by gun shots.
Oscar Pistorius aims to convince the court that the screams were his, and that he shot Reeva Steenkamp through a closed toilet door because he had mistaken her for an intruder.
Defendants who choose to testify are the first defense witnesses in South Africa but Jan Botha was allowed to testify first because of a family illness.
It is thought that Oscar Pistorius will go next. He had been expected to take the stand when the trial was postponed on Friday, March 28.
The defense is also likely to address key questions, including allegations that Oscar Pistorius was reckless with guns and why he did not check the whereabouts of his girlfriend before he opened fire.
Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by four bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Oscar Pistorius’ home in Pretoria on February 14, 2013.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, is a double amputee who holds six Paralympic medals and competed in the 2012 Olympic Games.
On Monday, police Capt. Francois Moller revealed in court at Oscar Pistorius’ trial that he had been able to extract some 35,000 pages’ worth of text messages from Reeva Steenkamp’s phone.
Capt. Francois Moller said that 90% of the messages between the couple “were loving”, but he had picked out exceptions.
Correspondents say some of these messages could prove extremely damaging for Oscar Pistorius.
Reeva Steenkamp’s messages paint a picture of the athlete as a jealous and possessive boyfriend prone to anger.
The texts between the couple also suggest Oscar Pistorius asked Reeva Steenkamp to keep quiet over an incident in January 2013 where he allegedly fired a gun at a restaurant – another charge he denies.
Reeva Steenkamp’s messages paint a picture of Oscar Pistorius as a jealous and possessive boyfriend prone to anger
“Angel please don’t say a thing to anyone… I can’t afford for that to come out,” Oscar Pistorius wrote.
“I was not flirting with anyone today I feel sick that you suggested that” (Reeva Steenkamp, January 27, 2013)
“I’m scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and how you will react to me” (Reeva Steenkamp, January 27, 2013)
“I do everything to make you happy and to not say anything to rock the boat with you” (Reeva Steenkamp, January 27, 2013)
“I can’t be attacked by outsiders for dating you and be attacked by you – the one person I deserve protection from” (Reeva Steenkamp, February 8, 2013)
The court heard Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp called each other “Angel” and “Baba”
“Angel please don’t say a thing to anyone…Darren told everyone it was his fault. I can’t afford for that to come out” (Oscar Pistorius, January 11, 2013, following an alleged shooting incident).
Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer, Barry Roux, has denied claims the athlete and his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp were unhappy.
Barry Roux emphasized that among hundreds of “loving” text messages, only four showed signs of arguments.
The lawyer made his case while cross-examining a police captain who had given evidence about the couple’s mobile phones.
Double amputee Oscar Pistorius denies deliberately shooting Reeva Steenkamp last February, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution has now ended its case and the trial has been adjourned until Friday.
Defense lawyers say Oscar Pistorius will take the stand, but it is not clear when that will be.
The defense is particularly focusing on text messages and calls extracted from the couple’s mobile phones by police Capt. Francois Moller.
Double amputee Oscar Pistorius denies deliberately shooting Reeva Steenkamp last February
Oscar Pistorius, 27, previously said he had forgotten the password to his iPhone and investigators went to the US shortly before the trial began to meet Apple officials to try and gain access to it.
Barry Roux tried to demonstrate that Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp had arguments but these were soon resolved.
Many of the text messages exchanged between the couple were affectionate in tone and showed they were in love, the defense argued on Tuesday.
The defense also played CCTV footage, earlier broadcast by Sky News, showing Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp kissing in a shop.
State prosecutor Gerrie Nel later questioned the relevance of the video.
On Monday Capt. Francois Moller revealed he had been able to extract some 35,000 pages’ worth of messages from Reeva Steenkamp’s phone.
He said that 90% of the messages between the couple were loving, but he had picked out exceptions.
In one message sent on January 27, 2013, Reeva Steenkamp: “I’m scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and of how you react to me.”
The message was sent after Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp had a row when he accused her of flirting with another man at a friend’s engagement dinner – weeks before he shot her dead.
In another message written a week before her death, she said: “I can’t be attacked by outsiders for dating you and be attacked by you – the one person I deserve protection from.”
Correspondents say some of these messages could prove extremely damaging for Oscar Pistorius.
Reeva Steenkamp’s messages paint a picture of the athlete as a jealous and possessive boyfriend prone to anger.
The texts between the couple also suggest Oscar Pistorius asked Reeva Steenkamp to keep quiet over an incident in January 2013 where he allegedly fired a gun at a restaurant – another charge he denies.
“Angel please don’t say a thing to anyone… I can’t afford for that to come out,” he wrote.
Oscar Pistorius trial was due to end this week but has been extended and will now run until the middle of May.
The prosecution says it will call upon four more witnesses before closing its case.
The defense team will then call upon its own witnesses, including Oscar Pistorius himself.
Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria has heard today that his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp sent him a text message saying: “I’m scared of you sometimes.”
The message was sent after Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp had a row when he accused her of flirting with another man – weeks before he shot her dead.
A police captain has been testifying about the couple’s mobile phones.
Oscar Pistorius denies deliberately killing his girlfriend of three months, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The trial has now entered is fourth week, with the prosecution expected to wrap up its case before Friday.
Capt Francois Moller said he had been able to extract some 35,000 pages’ worth of messages from Reeva Steenkamp’s phone.
He told the court on Monday that 90% of the messages between the couple were loving, but he had picked out exceptions.
Oscar Pistorius has said he has forgotten the password to his iPhone and investigators went to the US shortly before the trial began to meet Apple officials to try and gain access to it.
Reeva Steenkamp sent Oscar Pistorius a text message saying she was scared of him
In one message sent on January 27, 2013, Reeva Steenkamp wrote: “I’m scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and of how you react to me.”
Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp had attended an engagement dinner and left abruptly.
In another message she wrote: “I can’t be attacked by outsiders for dating you and be attacked by you – the one person I deserve protection from.”
Reeva Steenkamp’s messages paint a picture of the athlete as a jealous and possessive boyfriend.
Earlier, one of Oscar Pistorius’ neighbors said she had heard both a man and woman scream on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Anette Stipp, whose husband gave evidence earlier in the trial, said she heard the screams and gunshots at around 0300 local time on the day of the shooting.
She said she heard two groups of gunshots with a woman screaming in between.
Anette Stipp testimony has closely matched that of other neighbors and witnesses, including her husband.
The defense has previously claimed that Oscar Pistorius screams like a woman and that neighbors had confused his screams with those of Reeva Steenkamp.
“It was a definitely a woman screaming,” said Anette Stipp.
She also said that the light was on in the bathroom cubicle, where Reeva Steenkamp was when she was shot.
This contradicts evidence given by Oscar Pistorius, who said that it was “pitch dark” where the shooting took place.
On Sunday the trial was extended and will now run until the middle of May. It had been due to end this week.
The prosecution says it will call upon four more witnesses before closing its case.
The defense team, led by Barry Roux, will then call upon its own witnesses, including Oscar Pistorius himself.
Last week the trial heard evidence from ballistics experts and computer forensic teams who described the sequence and timing of the shots that killed Reeva Steenkamp.
Oscar Pistorius murder trial will now run until the middle of May after both sides agreed to an extension.
The South African Paralympic champion trial in Pretoria has already overrun its initial timeframe with the prosecution not yet completing its case.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies intentionally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013
Last week the athlete said he would sell his home to fund legal costs.
The court in Guateng province said that the trial would continue until 4 April, then adjourn for one week before resuming until May 16.
The trial will enter its fourth week on Monday, with five more witnesses expected to be called by the prosecution.
The court had been adjourned to allow the defense team to finish preparing its case.
The trial was initially estimated to have taken three weeks in total, but so far that deadline has passed with only 18 witnesses out of a possible 107 have been heard.
There has been intense media interest in the case in South Africa and beyond because of Oscar Pistorius’ status as a national sporting hero.
Double amputee Oscar Pistorius holds six Paralympic medals and also competed in the 2012 Olympic Games.
This website has updated its privacy policy in compliance with EU GDPR 2016/679. Please read this to review the updates about which personal data we collect on our site. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our updated policy. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
