This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/world/africa/oscar-pistorius-bail-hearing.html
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Pistorius Returns to Bail Hearing | Pistorius Returns to Bail Hearing |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| PRETORIA, South Africa — Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee track star accused of murdering his girlfriend, returned to court on Friday for the fourth straight day of hearings about whether he should be granted bail in a case that has riveted the nation. | PRETORIA, South Africa — Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee track star accused of murdering his girlfriend, returned to court on Friday for the fourth straight day of hearings about whether he should be granted bail in a case that has riveted the nation. |
| News reports said he slipped into the courthouse, his head covered by a jacket, some time before the start of hearings that have packed the courtroom with a scrum of journalists alongside legal teams, family members and onlookers. He took his place on Friday to a clatter of photographers’ cameras. In the latest in a series of abrupt twists in the affair, the South African police on Thursday replaced the lead investigator after revelations that he was facing seven charges of attempted murder stemming from an episode in which police officers fired at a minivan. | News reports said he slipped into the courthouse, his head covered by a jacket, some time before the start of hearings that have packed the courtroom with a scrum of journalists alongside legal teams, family members and onlookers. He took his place on Friday to a clatter of photographers’ cameras. In the latest in a series of abrupt twists in the affair, the South African police on Thursday replaced the lead investigator after revelations that he was facing seven charges of attempted murder stemming from an episode in which police officers fired at a minivan. |
| After widespread news reports about the charges, Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor, said at the start of a hearing on Thursday that he had just learned about them. The national police commissioner, Riah Phiyega, said later that a divisional police commissioner, Lt. Gen. Vinesh Moonoo, would be assigned to preside over “this very important investigation.” The change was announced a day after the original lead investigator, Detective Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, acknowledged several mistakes in the police work and conceded that, based on the existing evidence, he could not rule out the version of events presented by Mr. Pistorius. | After widespread news reports about the charges, Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor, said at the start of a hearing on Thursday that he had just learned about them. The national police commissioner, Riah Phiyega, said later that a divisional police commissioner, Lt. Gen. Vinesh Moonoo, would be assigned to preside over “this very important investigation.” The change was announced a day after the original lead investigator, Detective Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, acknowledged several mistakes in the police work and conceded that, based on the existing evidence, he could not rule out the version of events presented by Mr. Pistorius. |
| The prosecution says Mr. Pistorius committed the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, when he fired four shots through a locked bathroom door while she was on the other side in the early hours of Feb. 14. | The prosecution says Mr. Pistorius committed the premeditated murder of Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, when he fired four shots through a locked bathroom door while she was on the other side in the early hours of Feb. 14. |
| With his head bowed as he entered the court on Friday, Mr. Pistorius appeared to be struggling to hold back tears, his jaw clenched, as the prosecutor described Ms. Steenkamp’s plight that morning. | With his head bowed as he entered the court on Friday, Mr. Pistorius appeared to be struggling to hold back tears, his jaw clenched, as the prosecutor described Ms. Steenkamp’s plight that morning. |
| “I am not saying the planning of the murder of Reeva Steenkamp happened weeks ahead, days ahead,” Mr. Nel said. “I am saying the planning to kill Reeva Steenkamp happened that night.” | “I am not saying the planning of the murder of Reeva Steenkamp happened weeks ahead, days ahead,” Mr. Nel said. “I am saying the planning to kill Reeva Steenkamp happened that night.” |
| Ms. Steenkamp took refuge in the bathroom either to escape a fight or a gun, he said. The prosecution is seeking to persuade the magistrate, Desmond Nair, to deny the sprinter’s application be released on bail until a full trial, arguing that he might flee. | Ms. Steenkamp took refuge in the bathroom either to escape a fight or a gun, he said. The prosecution is seeking to persuade the magistrate, Desmond Nair, to deny the sprinter’s application be released on bail until a full trial, arguing that he might flee. |
| But Magistrate Nair seemed skeptical on Friday about the risk of flight by Mr. Pistorius. “What kind of life would he lead, a person who has to use prostheses, if he has to flee” and found himself “ducking and diving every day” on artificial limbs, the magistrate asked. “His internal career would be over in any event.” | |
| “A life not in prison,” Mr. Nel replied, comparing Mr. Pistorius to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who has taken refuge in the Ecuadorean embassy in London, despite his “famous face.” | |
| Mr. Pistorius’s athletic coach, Ampie Louw, told reporters on Friday that he is considering putting the athlete back in training if he secures bail. Mr. Pistorius has canceled planned track appearances and several corporate sponsors — the most recent of them Nike on Thursday — have distanced themselves from him. | Mr. Pistorius’s athletic coach, Ampie Louw, told reporters on Friday that he is considering putting the athlete back in training if he secures bail. Mr. Pistorius has canceled planned track appearances and several corporate sponsors — the most recent of them Nike on Thursday — have distanced themselves from him. |
| Piling on pressure on Friday, Mr. Nel linked the death of Ms. Steenkamp to other violence against women in South Africa, including Anene Booysen, a 17-year-old who was raped and murdered in the Cape region earlier this month. “The degree of violence present in this case is horrific,” Mr. Nel said. | Piling on pressure on Friday, Mr. Nel linked the death of Ms. Steenkamp to other violence against women in South Africa, including Anene Booysen, a 17-year-old who was raped and murdered in the Cape region earlier this month. “The degree of violence present in this case is horrific,” Mr. Nel said. |
| Mr. Pistorius has said that he opened fire believing there was an intruder in his home, in a gated community in Pretoria, and that he had no intention of killing Ms. Steenkamp, 29, a model and law school graduate. | Mr. Pistorius has said that he opened fire believing there was an intruder in his home, in a gated community in Pretoria, and that he had no intention of killing Ms. Steenkamp, 29, a model and law school graduate. |
| On Thursday, Mr. Nel labeled Mr. Pistorius’s account “improbable.” | On Thursday, Mr. Nel labeled Mr. Pistorius’s account “improbable.” |
| “What we can’t forget is the applicant is charged with murdering a defenseless, innocent woman,” Mr. Nel said. | “What we can’t forget is the applicant is charged with murdering a defenseless, innocent woman,” Mr. Nel said. |
| Mr. Pistorius has said that he did not realize Ms. Steenkamp was no longer in bed as he rose to check for an intruder, shouting to her to call the police. | Mr. Pistorius has said that he did not realize Ms. Steenkamp was no longer in bed as he rose to check for an intruder, shouting to her to call the police. |
| “You want to protect her, but you don’t even look at her?” Mr. Nel said on Thursday. “You don’t even ask, ‘Reeva, are you all right?’ | “You want to protect her, but you don’t even look at her?” Mr. Nel said on Thursday. “You don’t even ask, ‘Reeva, are you all right?’ |
| On Thursday, a police brigadier, Neville Malila, told reporters that Detective Botha was scheduled to appear in court in May on the attempted murder charges in connection with an episode in which Mr. Botha and two other police officers fired at a minivan. | On Thursday, a police brigadier, Neville Malila, told reporters that Detective Botha was scheduled to appear in court in May on the attempted murder charges in connection with an episode in which Mr. Botha and two other police officers fired at a minivan. |
| “Botha and two other policemen allegedly tried to stop a minibus taxi with seven people,” Brigadier Malila said. “They fired shots.” While the charges were initially dropped, “we were informed yesterday that the charges will be reinstated,” he said. | “Botha and two other policemen allegedly tried to stop a minibus taxi with seven people,” Brigadier Malila said. “They fired shots.” While the charges were initially dropped, “we were informed yesterday that the charges will be reinstated,” he said. |
| Medupe Simasiku, a spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, told reporters that the decision to reinstate the charges was made on Feb. 4, long before Ms. Steenkamp was killed. | Medupe Simasiku, a spokesman for the National Prosecuting Authority, told reporters that the decision to reinstate the charges was made on Feb. 4, long before Ms. Steenkamp was killed. |
Lydia Polgreen reported from Pretoria, South Africa, and Alan Cowell from London. | Lydia Polgreen reported from Pretoria, South Africa, and Alan Cowell from London. |