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Pistorius Pleads Not Guilty to Murder Charge South African Athlete Pleads Not Guilty to Murder Charge
(35 minutes later)
PRETORIA, South Africa — As Oscar Pistorius went on trial on murder charges Monday, a neighbor of the double amputee track star described hearing “bloodcurdling screams” shortly before Mr. Pistorius’s girlfriend was shot and killed. PRETORIA, South Africa — As Oscar Pistorius went on trial on murder charges Monday, a neighbor of the South African double amputee track star described hearing “bloodcurdling screams” shortly before Mr. Pistorius’s girlfriend was shot and killed.
On a drizzly, gray day in Pretoria, Mr. Pistorius appeared before the court and denied that he had murdered Reeva Steenkamp, saying in a clear but soft voice that he was not guilty. He also denied several firearms offenses. On a drizzly, gray day in Pretoria, Mr. Pistorius appeared before the court and denied that he had murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, saying in a clear but soft voice that he was not guilty. He also denied several firearms offenses.
On the murder charge, Judge Thokozile Masipa asked if he understood the accusation. “I do, I do, my lady,” Mr. Pistorius replied.On the murder charge, Judge Thokozile Masipa asked if he understood the accusation. “I do, I do, my lady,” Mr. Pistorius replied.
A lawyer reading a statement by Mr. Pistorius said later that the allegation of murder “could not be further from the truth.” He also accused police of contaminating the crime scene at Mr. Pistorius’s upscale villa in a gated complex here and denied prosecution assertions that Mr. Pistorius and Ms. Steenkamp had argued on the night of her killing. A lawyer reading a statement by Mr. Pistorius said later that the allegation of murder “could not be further from the truth.” He also accused the police of contaminating the crime scene at Mr. Pistorius’s villa in a gated complex here and denied prosecution assertions that Mr. Pistorius and Ms. Steenkamp had argued on the night of her killing.
But the first witness, Michelle Burger, who lived near Mr. Pistorius at the time of the shooting on Feb. 14, 2013, said that she heard a man and a woman screaming before the gunshots.But the first witness, Michelle Burger, who lived near Mr. Pistorius at the time of the shooting on Feb. 14, 2013, said that she heard a man and a woman screaming before the gunshots.
“It was very traumatic for me,” Ms. Burger said. “You could hear that it was bloodcurdling screams. It leaves you cold. You can’t translate it into words, the anxiousness in her voice and fear.”“It was very traumatic for me,” Ms. Burger said. “You could hear that it was bloodcurdling screams. It leaves you cold. You can’t translate it into words, the anxiousness in her voice and fear.”
Ms. Burger described the sound of the four shots that killed Ms. Steenkamp as a first shot, then a pause and three shots in quick succession.Ms. Burger described the sound of the four shots that killed Ms. Steenkamp as a first shot, then a pause and three shots in quick succession.
The proceedings started 90 minutes late because of what judicial officials said was a delay in finding a translator for the witness, who testified in Afrikaans. The proceedings started 90 minutes late because of what judicial officials said was a delay in finding an interpreter for the witness, who testified in Afrikaans.
According to testimony in preliminary hearings, Mr. Pistorius fired four shots through a closed bathroom door. At least three bullets struck Ms. Steenkamp, vaulting Mr. Pistorius into the notorious ranks of celebrity murder defendants. According to testimony in preliminary hearings, Mr. Pistorius fired four shots through a closed bathroom door. At least three bullets struck Ms. Steenkamp, in the head, arm and hip, vaulting Mr. Pistorius into the notorious ranks of celebrity murder defendants.
Defense lawyers have portrayed Ms. Steenkamp’s death as a tragic accident, but prosecutors have not accepted Mr. Pistorius’s explanation that he believed he was shooting a burglar. South Africa is plagued by violent crime, and home invasions are a common fear.Defense lawyers have portrayed Ms. Steenkamp’s death as a tragic accident, but prosecutors have not accepted Mr. Pistorius’s explanation that he believed he was shooting a burglar. South Africa is plagued by violent crime, and home invasions are a common fear.
Earlier in the case, Mr. Pistorius, 27, said in an affidavit that he was terrified. Vulnerable without his prosthetic legs, he claimed, he rashly fired through the bathroom door, only to realize that he had killed his girlfriend. Earlier, Mr. Pistorius, 27, said in an affidavit that he was terrified. Vulnerable without his prosthetic legs, he claimed, he rashly fired through the bathroom door, only to find later that he had killed his girlfriend.
“I approached the bathroom door armed with my firearm so I could defend Reeva and I,” Mr. Pistorius said in the statement read by one of his lawyers on Monday. “I believed Reeva was still in bed.”“I approached the bathroom door armed with my firearm so I could defend Reeva and I,” Mr. Pistorius said in the statement read by one of his lawyers on Monday. “I believed Reeva was still in bed.”
There is no death penalty in South Africa, but premeditated murder carries a minimum sentence of 25 years.There is no death penalty in South Africa, but premeditated murder carries a minimum sentence of 25 years.
Wearing a dark suit and black tie, Mr. Pistorius perched on a cushion on his chair as he awaited the start of the trial, closely watched by June Steenkamp, the mother of the victim, who has told South African reporters that she wants him to look her in the eye. “Oscar’s Date With Destiny” ran a headline in red ink on the front page of the Pretoria News on Monday.Wearing a dark suit and black tie, Mr. Pistorius perched on a cushion on his chair as he awaited the start of the trial, closely watched by June Steenkamp, the mother of the victim, who has told South African reporters that she wants him to look her in the eye. “Oscar’s Date With Destiny” ran a headline in red ink on the front page of the Pretoria News on Monday.
After more than a year of preparation, during which Mr. Pistorius has mostly been free on bail, more than 100 witnesses may be called during the trial, including forensics and ballistics experts. After more than a year of preparation, during which Mr. Pistorius has mostly been free on bail, more than a hundred witnesses may be called during the trial, including forensics and ballistics experts.
Because there are no jury trials in South Africa, Judge Masipa will decide his guilt or innocence. She said as the trial opened that she would be assisted by two assessors, whom she swore in at the beginning of the hearing. Judge Masipa, a former crime reporter, is known locally for handing down long sentences in cases of crimes against women. There are no jury trials in South Africa, and Judge Masipa will decide his guilt or innocence. She said as the trial opened that she would be assisted by two assessors, whom she swore in at the beginning of the hearing. Judge Masipa, a former crime reporter, is known locally for handing down long sentences in cases of crimes against women.
Reporters from around the world have gathered to cover what has become a lurid spectacle, with leaked images of the tiny, blood-spattered bathroom where Ms. Steenkamp was killed broadcast on television.Reporters from around the world have gathered to cover what has become a lurid spectacle, with leaked images of the tiny, blood-spattered bathroom where Ms. Steenkamp was killed broadcast on television.
The drama has been compared to the O.J. Simpson case that transfixed Americans in the 1990s, another instance of a high-profile and beloved athlete accused of murdering a woman in his life. The drama has been compared with the O.J. Simpson case that transfixed Americans in the 1990s, another instance of a high-profile and beloved athlete accused of murdering a woman in his life.
Mr. Pistorius and Ms. Steenkamp were a celebrity couple in South Africa. Mr. Pistorius, known as “Blade Runner” for the flexible, sickle-shaped carbon-fiber prosthetic legs he uses to compete, achieved worldwide fame by challenging able-bodied athletes. Ms. Steenkamp, who was 29 at the time of her death, was a budding reality television star, a model and a law school graduate when bullets struck her in the head, arm and hip. Mr. Pistorius and Ms. Steenkamp were a celebrity couple in South Africa. Mr. Pistorius, known as “Blade Runner” for the flexible, sickle-shaped carbon-fiber prosthetic legs he uses to compete, achieved worldwide fame by challenging able-bodied athletes. Ms. Steenkamp, who was 29 at the time of her death, was a budding reality television star, a model and a law school graduate.
After the killing, news reports built a different portrait of Mr. Pistorius — that of a reckless, jealous young man with a passion for guns and a history of mishandling them. Ms. Steenkamp told her mother that they had been fighting a lot, according to some news reports.After the killing, news reports built a different portrait of Mr. Pistorius — that of a reckless, jealous young man with a passion for guns and a history of mishandling them. Ms. Steenkamp told her mother that they had been fighting a lot, according to some news reports.
His trial will be a highly public test for the South African justice system, even more so after a judge ruled last week that much of it would be broadcast live on television. Live images of testimony by Mr. Pistorius and witnesses called by his defense team will not be aired, but the audio from all hearings will be broadcast, Judge Dunstan Mlambo said, arguing that his ruling would counter the widespread belief in South Africa that the rich were handled “with kid gloves,” while the judicial system was “harsh on the poor and vulnerable.”His trial will be a highly public test for the South African justice system, even more so after a judge ruled last week that much of it would be broadcast live on television. Live images of testimony by Mr. Pistorius and witnesses called by his defense team will not be aired, but the audio from all hearings will be broadcast, Judge Dunstan Mlambo said, arguing that his ruling would counter the widespread belief in South Africa that the rich were handled “with kid gloves,” while the judicial system was “harsh on the poor and vulnerable.”
The prosecution may have an uphill battle against Mr. Pistorius’s expensive team of lawyers and experts after the lead investigator on the case, Detective Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, resigned last year, acknowledging mistakes in the police work. A magistrate later said he had “blundered” in gathering evidence. News emerged that he faced attempted murder charges himself.The prosecution may have an uphill battle against Mr. Pistorius’s expensive team of lawyers and experts after the lead investigator on the case, Detective Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, resigned last year, acknowledging mistakes in the police work. A magistrate later said he had “blundered” in gathering evidence. News emerged that he faced attempted murder charges himself.
In the statement read out in court, Mr. Pistorius said that the crime scene was “contaminated, disturbed and tampered with.”In the statement read out in court, Mr. Pistorius said that the crime scene was “contaminated, disturbed and tampered with.”
Mr. Pistorius was born without fibulas and had both legs amputated below the knee before he was a year old, but he fought for the right to compete at the highest levels of international sport.Mr. Pistorius was born without fibulas and had both legs amputated below the knee before he was a year old, but he fought for the right to compete at the highest levels of international sport.
As a sprinter, he won two gold medals and a silver at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London after challenging able-bodied athletes at the Olympics a few weeks earlier, though without winning medals.As a sprinter, he won two gold medals and a silver at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London after challenging able-bodied athletes at the Olympics a few weeks earlier, though without winning medals.
The repercussions continue to echo for family and friends of Ms. Steenkamp. Her father, Barry Steenkamp, reportedly suffered a serious stroke recently while reading a newspaper article about the case.The repercussions continue to echo for family and friends of Ms. Steenkamp. Her father, Barry Steenkamp, reportedly suffered a serious stroke recently while reading a newspaper article about the case.
Last month, Mr. Pistorius issued a statement on his website in which he called the killing a “devastating accident.”Last month, Mr. Pistorius issued a statement on his website in which he called the killing a “devastating accident.”
“The pain and sadness — especially for Reeva’s parents, family and friends consumes me with sorrow,” he wrote. “The loss of Reeva and the complete trauma of that day, I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”“The pain and sadness — especially for Reeva’s parents, family and friends consumes me with sorrow,” he wrote. “The loss of Reeva and the complete trauma of that day, I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”