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Reeva Steenkamp
Forensic tests carried out by expert Roger Dixon for Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial have been rigorously challenged by state prosecutor Gerrie Nel in South Africa.
Roger Dixon’s sequence for the shots that killed Reeva Steenkamp contradicts that of a police ballistics witness and pathologist.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year.
He says he fired in fear at a toilet door, mistaking her for an intruder.
The prosecution says the 29-year-old model and law graduate was deliberately killed after the couple had an argument.
Oscar Pistorius faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.
The trial has now adjourned for a break and will reconvene on Monday May 5.
Before the questioning got under way on Thursday, Judge Thokozile Masipa warned those watching the televised proceedings in an overflow court next door about their “unruly” behavior.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said she had been made aware that there had been shouting and cheering at times.
Roger Dixon’s sequence for the shots that killed Reeva Steenkamp contradicts that of a police ballistics witness and pathologist
“It is not an entertainment place,” she said.
The prosecutor Gerrie Nel then continued his cross examination of Roger Dixon, a defense witness, who says he believes Reeva Steenkamp was standing at an angle to the door and that all four bullets hit her as she fell to the ground.
Earlier in the trial, ballistics expert Captain Christiaan Mangena said he believed Reeva Steenkamp was standing up facing the closed door when she was hit in the right hip.
He said she then fell back on to a magazine rack next to the toilet before three more bullets were fired at the door, one of which missed her.
Roger Dixon’s testimony challenges the state’s version that Reeva Steenkamp would have had time to scream after the first bullet and that Oscar Pistorius then changed aim and continued firing.
The forensic expert also told the court about light tests carried out in Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom and sound tests of a cricket bat striking a door and bullets hitting a door.
However, Gerrie Nel has sought to cast doubt on Roger Dixon’s credibility and qualifications as a forensics witness, suggesting some of the tests were amateurish.
He criticized him for not using a model the same height as Oscar Pistorius when on his stumps in a photograph to illustrate what neighbors would have been able to see through the bathroom window at night.
In the photograph a man was kneeling in front of the window.
“It is something I omitted. I overlooked it at the time,” said Roger Dixon, a geologist and university lecturer who worked as head of materials analysis at a police forensic laboratory in Pretoria for 18 years until 2012.
Gerrie Nel also sought to prove that he was out of his depth when he was testifying about marks on Reeva Steenkamp’s body.
He had identified one as a bruise which other pathologists had not, Gerrie Nel said.
At one stage on Wednesday Roger Dixon used the phrase “in my layman’s understanding”.
“Now you call yourself a layman. You see how irresponsible it is to make inferences that aren’t in your area of expertise,” the prosecutor replied.
Before the court adjourned, he was re-examined by defense lawyer Barry Roux and described how an official at the shooting range, where the sound tests were carried out, mistook the sound of the cricket bat striking the door for gunshots.
Roger Dixon took the stand on Tuesday after seven days of testimony from Oscar Pistorius came to an end with him reading a Valentine’s Day card from Reeva Steenkamp.
If Oscar Pistorius is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive about 15 years in prison.
He also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.
There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.
Oscar Pistorius is known as the “Blade Runner” because of the carbon-fibre prosthetics he uses on the track.
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Reeva Steenkamp was shot in quick succession as she fell down, a forensics expert has told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial.
This differs from a police ballistics witness who said there was short break between the first and second shots.
Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp in early hours of Valentine’s Day last year.
He says he fired rapidly in fear through the toilet door after he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.
The prosecution says the 29-year-old model and law graduate was deliberately killed after the couple had an argument.
Oscar Pistorius faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.
The trial has been adjourned until Thursday, which will be the last day before a break; proceedings will resume on Monday 5 May.
Forensics expert Roger Dixon, a defense witness, says Reeva Steenkamp was standing at an angle to the door and that all four bullets hit her as fell to the ground.
Reeva Steenkamp was shot in quick succession as she fell down
Earlier in the trial, ballistics expert Captain Christiaan Mangena said he believed Reeva Steenkamp was standing up facing the closed door when she was hit in the right hip.
He said she then fell back onto a magazine rack next to the toilet before three more bullets were fired at the door, one of which missed her.
Roger Dixon’s testimony challenges the state’s version that Reeva Steenkamp would have had time to scream after the first bullet and that Oscar Pistorius then changed aim and continued firing.
On Tuesday, Roger Dixon told the court his tests showed that with the light out, Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom would have been almost completely dark on the evening of the shooting, despite a couple of LED lights.
This also supports Oscar Pistorius’ evidence that he did not see whether Reeva Steenkamp was still in bed when he got up.
The court also heard sound recordings Roger Dixon had made – of a cricket bat striking a door similar to the one in Oscar Pistorius’ toilet, and of gunshots fired through the door at a distance of 60m (196ft) and 180m.
Roger Dixon seemed to struggle to tell the sounds apart, which the defense will use to cast doubt on what neighbors say they heard that night.
Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream followed by gun shots, but the defense disputes their testimony, saying the only scream came from Oscar Pistorius – after he had fired.
But prosecutor Gerrie Nel has sought to cast doubt on Roger Dixon’s credibility and qualifications as a forensics witness during his cross examination on Wednesday.
Roger Dixon is a geologist and university lecturer who worked as head of materials analysis at a police forensic laboratory in Pretoria for 18 years until 2012 and repeatedly said he was not a ballistics expert.
Gerrie Nel also sought to prove that he was out of his depth when he was testifying about marks on Reeva Steenkamp’s body.
He had identified one as a bruise which other pathologists had not, Gerrie Nel said.
At one stage Roger Dixon used the phrase “in my layman’s understanding”.
“Now you call yourself a layman. You see how irresponsible it is to make inferences that aren’t in your area of expertise,” Gerrie Nel replied.
Roger Dixon took the stand after seven days of testimony from the sprinter came to an end with him reading a Valentine’s Day card from his girlfriend.
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Reeva Steenkamp Valentine’s card has been presented to court during Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial in Pretoria.
Reeva Steenkamp had intended to give the card to Oscar Pistorius before he shot her dead.
The athlete read the poem to the court after five days of gruelling cross-examination.
Earlier, Oscar Pistorius said he was “heartbroken” when he saw her body in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last February.
Oscar Pistorius denies murder, saying he fired through a door in fear, believing there was an intruder behind it.
The prosecution says he deliberately shot dead Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, after the couple had had an argument.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.
His defense lawyer Barry Roux presented to the court the Valentine card which Reeva Steenkamp had got the athlete.
Oscar Pistorius read out Reeva Steenkamp’s Valentine Day card
The double-amputee sprinter read the card out in a trembling voice.
The front of the card reads: “Roses are red, violets are blue…”
Inside, Reeva Steenkamp had written: “I think today is a good day to tell you that, I love you.”
Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead in the early hours of Valentine’s Day – before they had opened each other’s cards and gifts.
Oscar Pistorius has previously told the court he only opened the card on Reeva Steenkamp’s birthday, in August 2013.
On the final day of his cross-examination, Oscar Pistorius said that after shooting and realizing Reeva Steenkamp was not in the bedroom as he believed, he tried to break down the door with his shoulder, before using a cricket bat, all the time screaming in panic.
He said he stopped screaming when he finally opened the door and saw the body.
When prosecutor Gerrie Nel asked why, Oscar Pistorius replied, his voice trembling with emotion: “I was heartbroken… overcome with sadness.”
“I crouched down over her… and I checked to see if she was breathing or if she had a pulse,” he said.
But this was disputed by prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
“You fired four shots through the door whilst knowing that she was standing behind the door,” he said.
“She was locked into the bathroom and you armed yourself with the sole purpose of shooting and killing her.”
Oscar Pistorius replied: “That is not true.”
The athlete has previously said he and Reeva Steenkamp had spent a quiet evening together before he woke up on hearing a noise in the bathroom.
During the cross-examination, Oscar Pistorius broke down in tears on several occasions.
Gerrie Nel suggested that he was doing this on purpose when he was struggling to explain his actions.
Oscar Pistorius has now ended his testimony.
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Oscar Pistorius has told his murder trial in Pretoria he was “heartbroken” when he saw the body of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
“I crouched down over her… and I checked to see if she was breathing or if she had a pulse,” the athlete said.
The prosecution has now finished five days of grueling cross-examination, which has seen the athlete break down on several occasions.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies murder, saying he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius deliberately shot dead Reeva Steenkamp after the couple had had an argument and has suggested he is staging his emotional outbursts.
He faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.
Before his cross-examination ended, the court was shown a photograph of the toilet covered in blood where Reeva Steenkamp was shot in February 2013.
Oscar Pistorius said that after shooting through the toilet door at what he thought were intruders, he realized he may have mistakenly killed his girlfriend, a 29-year-old model and law graduate.
He said he tried to break down the door with his shoulder, before using a cricket bat, all the time screaming in panic.
Oscar Pistorius has told his murder trial in Pretoria he was “heartbroken” when he saw the body of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
But the double-amputee sprinter said he stopped screaming when he finally opened the door and saw the body.
When asked why, Oscar Pistorius replied, his voice trembling with emotion: “I was heartbroken… overcome with sadness.”
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the athlete had deliberately killed his girlfriend following an argument.
“You fired four shots through the door whilst knowing that she was standing behind the door. She was locked into the bathroom and you armed yourself with the sole purpose of shooting and killing her,” he said.
Oscar Pistorius replied: “That is not true.”
The athlete has previously said he and Reeva Steenkamp had spent a quiet evening together before he woke up on hearing a noise in the bathroom.
After the cross-examination ended, Oscar Pistorius’ defense lawyer Barry Roux asked a few further questions before presenting to the court the Valentine’s Day card which Reeva Steenkamp had written for the athlete.
On the card, she had written: “Roses are red, violets are blue, I think this is a good time to say, I love you.”
Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013.
Oscar Pistorius has now ended his testimony.
Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream, but the defense disputes their testimony.
Judge Thokozile Masipa temporarily halted proceedings on two occasions on Monday after Oscar Pistorius broke down sobbing.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said: “You’re getting emotional now because you’re getting frustrated because your version [of events] is improbable.”
Both prosecution and defense have asked Judge Thokozile Masipa to postpone the case until May 5, following Tuesday’s cross-examination.
Gerrie Nel said members of his team were engaged in “more pressing” cases, which needed their attention, as well as “personal arrangements”.
The defense said the case should still finish on May 16, as planned. The judge said she would deliver her judgement on this request on Wednesday.
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Prosecutor Gerrie Nel at the Oscar Pistorius murder trial in Pretoria has suggested the South African athlete is using his emotions “as an escape”.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, broke down in tears four times on Monday and has also vomited in court.
“Now you trying to be emotional and it’s not working,” said prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
Oscar Pistorius admits killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14 last year, but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder.
Gerrie Nel said Oscar Pistorius had deliberately shot Reeva Steenkamp after the couple had had an argument.
As the prosecutor resumed his cross-examination on Monday, he accused Oscar Pistorius of “tailoring his evidence” as he went along to suit the defense case, which had been “concocted”.
“Your version of events is untrue,” Gerrie Nel said.
Oscar Pistorius admits killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14 last year, but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder
Shortly before the case adjourned for the day, Gerrie Nel said: “You’re getting emotional now because you’re getting frustrated because your version [of events] is improbable.”
The prosecutor, known as “bull terrier” for his fierce style of questioning, then asked: “You’re not using your emotional state as an escape are you?”
Gerrie Nel spent much of the day trying to highlight apparent inconsistencies between Oscar Pistorius’ bail application and his evidence in court.
On one occasion, when Oscar Pistorius corrected Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor said this showed the athelte was a “stickler for detail” and yet on many aspects of the case, the athlete was being vague.
Earlier, Gerrie Nel again pressed Oscar Pistorius on the moment he shot Reeva Steenkamp.
The athlete said he had not intended to kill anyone.
“I fired out of fear,” he said.
This prompted Gerrie Nel to say Oscar Pistorius was changing his story from self-defense to saying he shot by accident.
The prosecutor said this was because the truth was: “You fired at Reeva.”
“It’s not true,” Oscar Pistorius replied, breaking into tears and prompting the court to briefly adjourn.
After the break, Gerrie Nel said that, as Oscar Pistorius was trained to use firearms, the court could not accept he had fired by “mistake”.
The prosecutor said the fact that a pair of Reeva Steenkamp’s jeans was lying on the bed showed that she was in the middle of getting dressed in order to leave Oscar Pistorius’ house when she was shot after the couple had argued in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013.
This was denied by Oscar Pistorius.
The Paralympic champion also started sobbing as he recalled shouting at the burglars he thought were in his house.
When asked why he broke down, Oscar Pistorius said: “I am traumatized” by the events of that night.
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Oscar Pistorius said that Reeva Steenkamp did not scream or shout as he grabbed a gun and fired shots that killed her.
At the athlete’s murder trial in Pretoria, prosecutor Gerrie Nel said it was “improbable” that Reeva Steenkamp would stand in the bathroom saying nothing while Oscar Pistorius was just 10 ft away shouting at her to call the police.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, said he could not explain why she had not shouted out.
The Paralympic champion denies murder saying the killing was a terrible accident.
He admits killing Reeva Steenkamp but says he fired his gun after mistaking her for an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius believed Reeva Steenkamp had been in bed when he grabbed his gun, made his way to the bathroom and fired shots through the door.
The prosecution says he killed her after an argument.
On the third day of his cross-examination, Gerrie Nel pressed Oscar Pistorius to explain the final moments leading up to the shooting.
Gerrie Nel asked why he had not checked whether Reeva Steenkamp had heard his calls for her to phone the police, or why he had not taken her to safety instead of going to confront the supposed intruder.
Oscar Pistorius said that Reeva Steenkamp did not scream or shout as he grabbed a gun and fired shots that killed her
Oscar Pistorius said it was his personality to confront what he believed was an intruder.
The trial has been adjourned until Monday morning.
Later, Gerrie Nel questioned Oscar Pistorius’s account that he had not heard Reeva Steenkamp shout or scream during the whole incident.
He said it was the “most improbable” part of the account.
“At that stage when you shouted at Reeva to phone the police, she was 3 m away from you in the toilet, but she didn’t say anything,” he said.
“Why would she not say anything?”
Oscar Pistorius said he did not know.
The prosecutor accused the athlete of lying, and said he had shot Reeva Steenkamp while she was talking to him from the bathroom.
“She wasn’t scared of an intruder,” he said.
“She was scared of you.”
He went on: “Are you sure that Reeva did not scream after the first shot?”
Oscar Pistorius took a long time to answer, and broke down into sobs.
“At no point did Reeva shout out or scream,” he said.
Gerrie Nel then disputed his claim, saying he would not have been able to hear if he had just fired his gun.
Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream, but the defense disputes their testimony.
Gerrie Nel repeated a line of attack he had used on Thursday, testing the defendant’s version of events, and accusing him of lying.
Oscar Pistorius told the court he had heard a window opening and closing, and had immediately got out of bed and grabbed his gun.
“I told Reeva to get down and phone the police,” he said.
Gerrie Nel asked if he had not looked at Reeva Steenkamp, or asked if she had heard the noise.
“On the morning of the 14th I was sure of what I heard,” he said.
“My whole being was fixated on this person that I thought was in the bathroom.”
The double amputee faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering 29-year-old model Reeva Steenkamp.
If he is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive up to 15 years in prison.
Oscar Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.
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Oscar Pistorius has denied “picking on” his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, as his cross-examination continues at his murder trial in Pretoria.
The Paralympic champion was commenting on a mobile phone message Reeva Steenkamp had sent him.
The prosecution has been trying to portray Oscar Pistorius as self-obsessed and negligent with firearms.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp, saying he accidentally shot her dead through a door, fearing there was an intruder in his house.
Prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius intentionally killed his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day last year by firing a gun through a bathroom door at her after a row at his Pretoria home.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate.
In Thursday’s proceedings:
- Oscar Pistorius said he had not meant to pull the trigger
- Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel accused the athlete of being selfish, negligent and lying
- Gerrie Nel said Oscar Pistorius’ apology in court was a “spectacle”
- Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, said she was “unmoved” by his apology
- Oscar Pistorius denied ever shouting at Reeva Steenkamp, or a previous girlfriend
Under intense cross-examination, Oscar Pistorius said he had not meant to pull the trigger, even to fire at an intruder.
“It was an accident… I didn’t have time to think,” he said, his voice trembling after he had been generally calm in contrast to previous days.
Oscar Pistorius has denied picking on Reeva Steenkamp, as his cross-examination continues at his murder trial in Pretoria (photo CNN)
Earlier, chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel, known as the “bull terrier” in South Africa for his fierce questioning, suggested that Oscar Pistorius was only concerned about himself during the couple’s three-month relationship.
Gerrie Nel is trying to give an impression that the Paralympic athlete is self-centred, contemptuous of his girlfriend and lacking responsibility.
He suggested that Oscar Pistorius should have apologized to Reeva Steenkamp’s family in private, rather than making a “spectacle” by doing it in court as he opened his defense on Monday.
The athlete replied that he had not had the opportunity and had been unable to find the correct words.
When Gerrie Nel noted that in Monday’s apology, Oscar Pistorius did not say he was sorry for killing Reeva Steenkamp, the athlete replied: “I’m terribly sorry that I took the life of their daughter.”
In court, June Steenkamp shook her head as Oscar Pistorius was taken through several WhatsApp messages, which Reeva Steenkamp had sent.
In one, Reeva Steenkamp wrote: “You have picked on me incessantly since we got back from Cape Town.”
Asked to comment, Oscar Pistorius said: “I don’t feel like I picked on her incessantly – maybe we were having a rough time in our relationship.”
He also denied ever shouting or screaming at Reeva Steenkamp, or a previous girlfriend, Sam Taylor, as she had testified earlier in the trial.
Referring to an incident when a gun was fired in a restaurant, Oscar Pistorius said he had not been aware the gun was loaded but insisted he had not pulled the trigger.
Gerrie Nell said a gun firing itself would be a “miracle”. He also accused Oscar Pistorius of lying and not taking responsibility for his actions.
“You will blame anybody but yourself,” the prosecutor said, after Oscar Pistorius had questioned the decisions of his defense lawyers.
Oscar Pistorius did admit keeping ammunition in his bedside table, rather than in a safe.
He said he was usually armed “for my own safety”.
On Wednesday’s dramatic first day of questioning by Gerrie Nel, Oscar Pistorius became distraught as he was shown a photo of Reeva Steenkamp after her death.
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South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius became distraught as he was shown a photo of his dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by the prosecution at his murder trial in Pretoria.
“It’s time that you look at it,” chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel said, presenting the photo at the start of the first day of cross-examination.
Oscar Pistorius, who denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp, insisted he had made a “mistake”.
The athlete says he accidentally killed his girlfriend after mistaking her for an intruder.
He told the court on Wednesday: “I made a mistake. My mistake was that I took Reeva’s life.”
Prosecutors say Oscar Pistorius intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year by firing a gun through a bathroom door at her after a row at his Pretoria home.
Oscar Pistorius, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate.
Following legal arguments on Wednesday morning, Gerrie Nel showed video footage of the athlete at a gun range shooting a watermelon.
Oscar Pistorius became distraught as he was shown a photo of his dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by the prosecution at his murder trial in Pretoria
Gerrie Nel then said the watermelon had exploded in the same way as Reeva Steenkamp’s head – and showed the photo. He asked Oscar Pistorius to look at it and take responsibility for his actions.
An emotional Oscar Pistorius, 27, turned away from the image on a monitor screen and said: “I’ve taken responsibility… but I will not look at a picture where I am tormented by what I saw and felt that night… I remember. I don’t have to look at a picture, I was there.”
After an adjournment to allow Oscar Pistorius to compose himself, Gerrie Nel sought to highlight what he said were inconsistencies in the athlete’s statements, questioning his claims that police had tampered with items in his home after the shooting.
“I am not pleading not guilty because the scene was contaminated,” Oscar Pistorius countered.
“I am pleading not guilty because what I’m accused of didn’t happen.”
In the opening moments of cross examination, Gerrie Nel showed the highly combative style Oscar Pistorius can now expect from him in the coming days.
Earlier, while being questioned by his lawyer Barry Roux, Oscar Pistorius told the court he had tried to revive Reeva Steenkamp, who was hit by three of four pistol rounds he fired through the door.
He said he had managed to carry Reeva Steenkamp downstairs, where neighbors had tried to administer first aid before paramedics arrived.
Before Barry Roux ended his questioning, he asked Oscar Pistorius if he had intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp.
“I did not intend to kill Reeva or anybody else for that matter,” he replied.
If Oscar Pistorius is acquitted of murder, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he could receive between six and 15 years in prison.
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Oscar Pistorius described events after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home at his murder trial in Pretoria.
During his emotional testimony Oscar Pistorius said Reeva Steenkamp died before the ambulance arrived while he was holding her.
The Paralympic athlete said he tried to help his girlfriend breathe and stem the bleeding from her hip.
Oscar Pistorius denies deliberately shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year, arguing he mistook her for an intruder.
Prosecutors contend he intentionally killed her in the toilet of his bathroom after a row.
On Tuesday, Oscar Pistorius broke down in tears whilst describing the events leading up to the shooting and the actual event.
If acquitted, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he could receive between six and 15 years in prison.
Oscar Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.
During his emotional testimony Oscar Pistorius said Reeva Steenkamp died before the ambulance arrived while he was holding her (photo AP)
On his third day on the stand, Oscar Pistorius described the moments after paramedics had arrived at the scene.
“They asked for some space to work so I stood up. Reeva had already died whilst I was holding her before the ambulance arrived. So, I knew there was nothing they could do for her,” he told the court.
He also described his distress as police and other officials arrived at the house.
“I asked a policeman if I could wash my hands because the smell of the blood was making me throw up,” he said.
Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux also asked him to demonstrate how he would swing a cricket bat.
The athlete said he was on his prosthetic legs when he used the cricket bat to break down the toilet door.
He said the three sounds heard by witnesses at 03:17 local time was the cricket bat hitting the door – about five minutes after he shot at the toilet door.
Oscar Pistorius said he was on his stumps, when he shot at the door.
“I can barely stand on my stumps,” he said.
During his questioning, Barry Roux also mentioned statements from close neighbors who were listed by the state but not called by the prosecution.
He said the statement from Kenny Motshoane’s house described hearing “crying” and not “a woman screaming”, as mentioned by other witnesses.
Another woman living nearby also says she heard “loud crying” and not a woman screaming, Barry Roux said.
Before Barry Roux ended his questioning he asked Oscar Pistorius if he had intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp.
“I did not intend to kill Reeva or anybody else for that matter,” he replied.
On Tuesday, Oscar Pistorius described how the couple had spent a quiet evening together on February 13, Reeva Steenkamp doing some yoga as he spoke to his cousin on the phone.
He had then watched TV in bed with his head resting on her stomach and she would occasionally show him photos of cars she was looking at on her phone, he said.
Oscar Pistorius said that they had bought Valentine’s Day gifts for each other.
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Oscar Pistorius has described the moment he fired the shots which killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home in Pretoria.
The 27-year-old double amputee told his trial in Pretoria he had heard noises from the toilet and thought an intruder was coming out.
“Before I knew it, I had fired four shots at the door,” Oscar Pistorius said.
The trial of the athlete, who could face life imprisonment if convicted of murder, was adjourned until Wednesday after he broke down crying.
The Paralympic athlete denies deliberately shooting Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.
On his first day on the stand, on Monday, Oscar Pistorius made a tearful apology to Reeva Steenkamp’s family.
The prosecution alleges that Oscar Pistorius killed his girlfriend after an argument with her.
In the early hours of February 14, 2013, Oscar Pistorius said he had got up from bed to bring in some fans he had left outside, in order to cool his bedroom.
Oscar Pistorius has described the moment he fired the shots which killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home in Pretoria
When he heard a window opening in the bathroom, he said, he thought there was a burglar trying to get in.
Wanting to protect Reeva Steenkamp, who was not sleeping, he had gone to get his gun in the dark.
“I whispered to Reeva to get down and phone the police,” he said.
He said he then went into the passage without his prosthetic legs and, overcome with fear, started screaming, and shouted for Reeva Steenkamp to get to the floor.
The toilet door slammed, reconfirming his belief there was a person or people in the bathroom, the athlete said.
“I heard a noise from inside the toilet, what I perceived to be someone coming out of the toilet,” he said tearfully. At that point, he shot at the door.
After the shooting, Oscar Pistorius said he had smashed in a door panel to get into the toilet, where he discovered what he had done.
“Whilst I leant over the partition to get in, I saw the key, so I took it and I unlocked the door, and I flung the door open, and I threw it open,” he said, sobbing.
“And I sat over Reeva and I cried… and um, I don’t know how long… I don’t know how long I was there for… She wasn’t breathing.”
As the athlete broke down, the judge adjourned the trial.
Earlier, Oscar Pistorius described how the couple had spent a quiet evening together on February 13, Reeva Steenkamp doing some yoga as he spoke to his cousin on the phone.
He had then watched TV in bed with his head resting on her stomach and she would occasionally show him photos of cars she was looking at on her phone, he said.
Oscar Pistorius said that they had bought Valentine’s Day gifts for each other. He had bought her a bracelet and they had been due to go the jewellers’ to collect it the next day, he said.
Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by at least three bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Oscar Pistorius’s home in Pretoria.
Known as the Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorius holds six Paralympic medals and competed in the 2012 Olympic Games.
There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.
Even if he is acquitted, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter.
If convicted on this charge, Oscar Pistorius could face between 6 and 15 years in prison.
Oscar Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, which he denies.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria has been postponed until April 7 as one of the assessors assisting the judge has been taken ill.
The defense in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius had been expected to take place on Friday.
The trial has already heard 15 days of prosecution-led testimony.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, denies deliberately shooting his 29-year-old girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in February 2013, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
Prosecutors allege that the athlete killed Reeva Steenkamp after an argument.
Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria has been postponed until April 7 as one of the assessors assisting the judge has been taken ill
Judge Thokozile Masipa announced that one of the assessors is ill and suggested the date of April 7 to resume the trial. The prosecution and defense teams agreed to the postponement.
Under South African law, there is no jury system and two assessors help the judge reach a decision.
Although Oscar Pistorius is not legally obliged to testify, he is the only witness to the alleged murder and is expected to testify when the trial restarts.
His lawyers had previously told journalists that it was “likely” they would call him to give evidence first.
Prosecution testimony has relied on accounts from neighbors and specialist ballistics, forensic and mobile phone evidence.
The defense had been due to address key questions, in particular:
- Allegations from witnesses that Oscar Pistorius was reckless with guns and had fired a pistol indiscriminately on two occasions in the past
- Why he didn’t check the whereabouts of Reeva Steenkamp when he feared an intruder was in the house
- Why, as a person used to handling weapons, he didn’t fire a warning shot
Reeva Steenkamp, a model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by four bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Oscar Pistorius’ home in Pretoria.
People who were in the area on the night of the shooting have told the court they heard screams, shots and bangs.
However, Oscar Pistorius has said he believed Ms Steenkamp was in bed when he shot at the toilet door, thinking an intruder was about to attack them.
Oscar Pistorius is a double amputee who holds six Paralympic medals and competed in the 2012 Olympic Games.
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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).
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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.
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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.
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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.
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On day 13 of Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria, a key police ballistics expert has said the athlete was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot Reeva Steenkamp.
Correspondents say this lends support to the defense team’s insistence that the shooting was not premeditated.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution says the Paralympic champion intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument.
Captain Christian Mangena said analysis of the crime scene and his subsequent tests suggested that Oscar Pistorius, 27, was not wearing the prostheses when he fired the fatal shots.
He also said that while he had not been able to determine the exact distance, the evidence pointed to the shots having been fired from a position greater than 23 inches away from the toilet door but no further than 10ft.
Correspondents say this is in line with the athlete’s testimony that he pulled the trigger while standing at the entrance to the bathroom.
Explaining the trajectory of the bullets, Capt. Christian Mangena said that Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was standing up in the toilet cubicle when she was hit in the right hip by the first of four bullets.
He said she then fell backwards before being hit in the arm and the head by the last two bullets fired by Oscar Pistorius through the wooden door as she crossed both hands over her head to protect herself.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013
Contradicting the athlete’s testimony that the shots had been fired in close succession, Capt. Christian Mangena said there had been a short break between the first and second shots and that the second bullet missed Reeva Steenkamp.
Correspondents say this corroborates evidence given by a neighbor who said she heard a shot, then a pause, then three further shots. It also suggests that Reeva Steenkamp may have had time to scream before she fell to the floor, supporting the neighbor’s testimony that she had heard a woman screaming.
“I’m of the opinion that after [the first] wound was inflicted… she dropped immediately,” Capt. Christian Mangena said.
Reeva Steenkamp then slumped into a “seated or semi-seated position” on top of a magazine rack, according to the police officer.
After the third and fourth shots she “ended up with her head on top of the toilet seat, and the lower part of her body on the rack”, Capt. Christian Mangena added.
Defense lawyer Barry Roux contested Capt. Christian Mangena’s evidence on the timing, maintaining that the bullets could have been fired in quick succession using a “double tap” technique – where the trigger is pulled in quick succession.
Capt. Christian Mangena insisted this was “impossible”, saying that if this had been the case then Reeva Steenkamp’s wounds would have been in the same area of her body.
The court also heard from Col. Mike Sales, an officer in the police technological investigations department, who analyzed data from Oscar Pistorius’ smartphones and tablets.
Col. Mike Sales said several websites had been browsed on Oscar Pistorius’ iPad on the evening of the shooting, although he could not confirm who had been using the iPad.
The internet history featured searches for used cars, including an Aston Martin and a Ford Ranger.
The court was adjourned until Monday after the prosecution said it would only call on five more witnesses.
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During the 12th day of Oscar Pistorius’ trial in Pretoria his defense team accused police photographer Bennie Van Staden of mishandling the crime scene.
Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer Barry Roux said some images showed “great disturbance” was caused to the evidence but the police officer insisted he had followed procedure.
The Paralympic champion denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument.
The court also heard from a police ballistics expert on Tuesday, but the trial was adjourned before he explained the key points of his investigation into the trajectory of the bullets from Oscar Pistorius’ gun.
Captain Christian Mangena said he had measured Oscar Pistorius with his prosthetic legs on and off to try to determine whether he was wearing them or not. He is expected to disclose the results of his inquiries on Wednesday.
Correspondents say whether or not Oscar Pistorius was on his prosthetic limbs is important because it could match parts of his story that he accidentally shot Reeva Steenkamp at his house on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Photographs of the bloody scene at Oscar Pistorius’ house were shown to court as police photographer Bennie Van Staden was cross-examined by defense lawyer Barry Roux for a second day.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument
Barry Roux painstakingly examined pictures taken by Bennie Van Staden and another police officer, and said evidence had been moved around in violation of police procedure.
The lawyer challenged Bennie Van Staden over two images of Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom, which showed tissues, a CD and a remote control in different positions.
Bennie Van Staden admitted that he had moved bloodied towels and a duvet to check for further evidence, but said that he had taken pictures of the original scene before doing so.
Barry Roux also used metadata on each photo to suggest that the two policemen were taking pictures in the same room at the same point, despite Bennie Van Staden testifying that he had worked alone.
According to times on the photographs, both Bennie Van Staden and the other police officer, identified as Colonel Motha, were in the bathroom at the same time.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel questioned Barry Roux’s assertion that the two policemen had been working together, asking why it was that the other officer had not been captured in any of Bennie Van Staden’s pictures.
The prosecutor also said that debating whether the cricket bat that Oscar Pistorius used to smash open the bathroom door had been moved “millimetres” for a photograph did not change the fact that is was covered in blood.
Bennie Van Staden took hundreds of images at the scene, including several of the bloodied cricket bat as well as bullet casings and a gun.
He was called to the scene at around 04:50 a.m. local time and took pictures of the accused and the deceased, as well as pictures of the rooms of the house.
The photographer described nine images that he took of Oscar Pistorius soon after the shooting, with the athlete wearing blood-soaked shorts in the garage of his home.
Barry Roux has challenged previous police witnesses over details of their movements in a bid to uncover contradictions that support his argument that the investigation was bungled.
So far, Oscar Pistoius’ defense team has pointed out several errors by police investigators, including an officer handling the suspected murder weapon without gloves and another stealing from the house.
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On the 12th day of Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria, police photographer showed the images of the bloody scene at the athlete’s house.
Oscar Pistorius’ defense team says the police crime scene photographer failed to label his pictures correctly.
The Paralympic champion denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he thought she was an intruder.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Photographer Bennie Van Staden was being cross-examined for the second day by defense lawyer Barry Roux on details of when and where he took some photos and what he moved at the home of Oscar Pistorius.
Bennie Van Staden’s testimony continued after the start of Tuesday’s proceedings was delayed by more than an hour after the defense team asked him to produce discs containing master copies of photographs.
His images included the bloodied cricket bat Oscar Pistorius used to smash open the bathroom door as well as blood-soaked towels and two mobile phones.
Oscar Pistorius’ defense team says the police crime scene photographer failed to label his pictures correctly (photo AP)
Bennie Van Staden was called to the scene at around 04:50 local time and took pictures of the accused and the deceased, as well as pictures of the rooms of the house.
The police photographer rejected claims that his picture timeline was jumbled or unclear, saying that each of the photographs had the date and time it was taken on the picture.
Bennie Van Staden also described nine photographs that he took of Oscar Pistorius soon after the shooting, with the athlete wearing blood-soaked shorts in the garage of his home.
On Monday, the trial heard from a firearm specialist who said Oscar Pistorius had good knowledge of the rules on gun use and dealing with intruders.
Oscar Pistorius had bought a gun from Sean Patrick Rens, a firearms assessor, in 2012 and ordered six more guns from him – but the order was cancelled a month after Reeva Steenkamp was killed.
Sean Patrick Rens read out a competency questionnaire that Oscar Pistorius had completed before he could be issued with a firearm.
Oscar Pistorius scored top marks in these tests, which included questions on the legal issues around shooting intruders.
One of the questions in the test was: “There is no security gate between you and the burglars. They are armed and they advance towards you. Can you discharge your firearm because you fear for your life?”
To which Oscar Pistorius replied: “Yes.”
Another question was: “Explain the legal requirements when using a firearm for private use”, to which Oscar Pistorius answered: “Attack must be against you, it must be unlawful, it must be against persons.”
Answering the final question on the importance of target identification, Oscar Pistorius said: “Always know your target and what lies behind.”
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On the eleventh day of Oscar Pistorius trial, the court has heard from a firearm specialist that the athlete had good knowledge of the rules on gun use and dealing with intruders.
Oscar Pistorius said one could discharge a firearm if one feared for one’s life.
The Paralympic champion denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
The prosecution says Oscar Pistorius intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Sean Patrick Rens is involved in firearms assessment for licenses and met Oscar Pistorius in 2012 through a mutual friend.
Oscar Pistorius had bought a gun from Sean Patrick Rens, a Smith and Wesson 500, day 11 of the trial heard. He then ordered six more guns from him.
The order was cancelled a month after Reeva Steenkamp was killed.
Sean Patrick Rens read out a competency questionnaire and examination that Oscar Pistorius had completed before he could be issued with a firearm.
He scored top marks in these tests, which included questions about the rules on when you are legally allowed to shoot intruders.
One question was: “There is no security gate between you and the burglars. They are armed and they advance towards you. Can you discharge your firearm because you fear for your life?”
Oscar Pistorius replied: “Yes.”
The next question was: “Explain the legal requirements when using a firearm for private use”, to which Oscar Pistorius answered: “Attack must be against you, it must be unlawful, it must be against persons.”
Oscar Pistorius had good knowledge of the rules on gun use and dealing with intruders
The final question on the importance of target identification elicited this answer from Oscar Pistorius: “Always know your target and what lies behind.”
Sean Patrick Rens also relates an incident when Oscar Pistorius told him about going into “code red”, or “combat mode”, after hearing a noise in the house and thinking there was an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius, 27, got his gun and cleared the house by drawing his gun and checking rooms, Sean Patrick Rens said, and when he got to the source, he found it was a tumble drier.
Oscar Pistorius had tweeted about the incident in November 2012: “Nothing like getting home to hear the washing machine on and thinking it’s an intruder to go into full combat recon mode into the pantry!”
The questioning of Sean Patrick Rens at the end of his testimony was the briefest cross-examination of the trial by Barry Roux.
The next witness was police crime scene photographer Bennie Van Staden, whom Barry Roux accuses of failing to label his pictures correctly.
Bennie Van Staden was called to the scene at around 04:50 and took pictures of the accused and the deceased, as well as pictures in the different rooms of the house.
His photographs show the bloodied bat Oscar Pistorius used to smash open the bathroom door, the damaged door itself, blood-soaked towels, two mobile phones, blood puddles on the bathroom tiles, as well as the toilet bowl covered in blood, with streaks on the inside.
Bennie Van Staden says that you can see the date and time of the photo in his pictures, rejecting defense claims that his picture timeline was jumbled or unclear.
He explained how he set out cones to highlight certain objects in the bathroom, e.g. cartridge cases, and moved some objects for visibility.
The trial has now been adjourned until Tuesday.
Oscar Pistorius trial is expected to call on more than 100 witnesses. It had been set to last for three weeks, but looks likely to be extended.
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Former police officer Col. Schoombie van Rensburg told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial that two of the athlete’s watches went missing from the crime scene.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg said he had been “furious” at the disappearances and had ordered officers to be body-searched for the “expensive” watches.
The court was also shown a photo of Oscar Pistorius in blood-covered shorts.
Oscar Pistorius denies murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, saying he mistook her for an intruder.
The prosecution says he intentionally shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on February 14, 2013.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg, who was initially in charge of the crime scene, said that when he first saw the watches he was worried about them and ordered them to be photographed because they “looked expensive”.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial that two of the athlete’s watches went missing from the crime scene
After returning to the main bedroom where a team of forensic experts was gathering evidence, the police officer realized one watch, said to be worth as much as $10,000 was missing. He said he was told Oscar Pistorius’ sister Aimee had come into the room and removed it.
After leaving the room again, another watch went missing, so he gave instructions for the police officers and their cars to be searched.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg said that after that, everyone entering and leaving the scene was thoroughly searched and entered into a log, presented in court.
He said he told Oscar Pistorius he should file a complaint, while he opened a case of theft.
The former officer, who retired last year, also told the court he was angry when he saw a ballistics expert handling Oscar Pistorius’ 9mm pistol without any gloves, and told him to put some on.
The admissions call into question the police’s handling of the crime scene, in a case that is likely to hinge on sensitive forensic evidence, correspondents say.
Friday’s hearing has now been adjourned and the trial continues on Monday.
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On the tenth day of Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria, former police officer Col. Schoombie van Rensburg has said he was “furious” when two of the athlete’s watches went missing from the crime scene.
Col Schoombie van Rensburg told the murder trial he ordered his officers to be body-searched for the “expensive” watches, but they were not found.
He also said an officer had handled Oscar Pistorius’ gun without wearing gloves.
Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius denies murder, saying he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.
The prosecution says he shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument at his house on February 14, 2013.
Schoombie van Rensburg, who was initially in charge of the crime scene, said that when he first saw the watches he was worried about them and ordered them to be photographed because they “looked expensive”.
After returning to the main bedroom where a team of forensic experts was gathering evidence, he realized one watch, said to be worth as much as $10,000 was missing. He said he was told Oscar Pistorius’ sister Aimee had come into the room and removed it.
Oscar Pistorius had blood on his arm after shooting Reeva Steenkamp last year
After leaving the room again, another watch went missing, so he gave instructions for the police officers and their cars to be searched.
Schoombie van Rensburg said that after that, everyone entering and leaving the scene was thoroughly searched and entered into a log, presented in court.
He described his stunned reaction to the watches’ disappearance: “I said, <<I can’t believe it. We were just there. How can this watch be gone?>>”.
He said he told Oscar Pistorius he should file a complaint, while he opened a case of theft.
The former officer, who retired last year, also told the court he was angry when he saw a ballistics expert handling Oscar Pistorius’ 9mm pistol without any gloves, and told him to put some on.
The admissions call into question the police’s handling of the crime scene, in a case that is likely to hinge on sensitive forensic evidence.
Col. Schoombie van Rensburg also said he saw Oscar Pistorius with blood on his arm, while the court was shown a photograph of the athlete with blood on his shorts.
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A retired officer has told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial that police followed a “trail of blood” up the stairs after being called to the athlete’s house in Pretoria.
Col Schoombie van Rensburg said he found Oscar Pistorius in a “very emotional state”.
Earlier, a forensics expert defended police handling of evidence.
Oscar Pistorius denies murder, saying he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013, after mistaking her for an intruder.
The prosecution says he tried to beat down the door and then fired the gun following an argument.
Col Schoombie van Rensburg, who was initially in charge of the crime scene, said he immediately gave orders for it to be secured.
Defense lawyer Barry Roux has said that evidence from the scene subsequently went missing.
When Schoombie van Rensburg arrived, he found Oscar Pistorius in the kitchen, pacing up and down.
Police had found Oscar Pistorius in a very emotional state after killing Reeva Steenkamp
The former officer asked the athlete what happened, but “he was very emotional. He didn’t understand”, Col. Schoombie van Rensburg said.
He described a “trail of blood” leading up the stairs and spots of blood on chairs in the living room.
The court was shown photographs of the crime scene, which showed blood on the stair walls.
Schoombie van Rensburg said there was a spatter of blood on the first floor landing, with some blood on the wall next to his trophies.
He said he found the toilet door, through which Reeva Steenkamp had been shot, locked.
Schoombie van Rensburg resigned from the police force in December after nearly 30 years of service.
He said when he entered Oscar Pistorius’ house, he found Reeva Steenkamp’s body lying in a pool of blood covered in white towels and black plastic bags.
There was another woman there, Carise, the daughter of estate manager Johan Stander.
She told him Oscar Pistorius had phoned, saying he needed their help.
Johan Stander also told him that she and Oscar Pistorius used the plastic bags and a towel to stop the bleeding after Reeva Steenkamp had been shot.
The prosecution has been attempting to cast doubt on parts of Oscar Pistorius’ story, including his claim that he was wearing his legs at the time of the shooting.
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