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Oscar Pistorius breaks down during second day of murder trial Oscar Pistorius breaks down during second day of murder trial
(35 minutes later)
Oscar Pistorius broke down and wept as a court heard for the first time the sequence of fatal injuries suffered by his girlfriend when he shot her repeatedly at his home.Oscar Pistorius broke down and wept as a court heard for the first time the sequence of fatal injuries suffered by his girlfriend when he shot her repeatedly at his home.
The Paralympic athlete was in the dock for the second day of a murder trial in Pretoria, South Africa, that is being followed by millions around the world. He claims he fired four times through a locked bathroom door in February last year because he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.The Paralympic athlete was in the dock for the second day of a murder trial in Pretoria, South Africa, that is being followed by millions around the world. He claims he fired four times through a locked bathroom door in February last year because he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.
Gerrie Nel, prosecuting, told the court that a ballistics report showed the first bullet hit Steenkamp in the right thigh, the second missed her and hit a wall, the third caught her shoulder and the fourth struck her in the head, killing her. Gerrie Nel, prosecuting, told the court that a ballistics report showed the first bullet hit the 29-year-old in the right thigh, the second missed her and hit a wall, the third caught her shoulder and the fourth struck her in the head, killing her.
The details emerged as the defence counsel, Barry Roux, challenged a neighbour's witness testimony that she had heard a woman scream just after the final shot. "There was serious, serious brain damage, and our evidence will be that a person with that brain damage will have no response, no cognitive function, no thought process," Roux said. "It cannot be. She could not have screamed." The details emerged as the defence counsel, Barry Roux, challenged a neighbour's witness testimony that she had heard a woman scream just after the final shot. "There was serious, serious brain damage, and our evidence will be that a person with that brain damage will have no response, no cognitive function, no thought process," he said. "It cannot be. She could not have screamed."
An expert will later testify in the trial that "with the head shot, she would have dropped down immediately," he added. An expert will later testify in the trial that "with the head shot, she would have dropped down immediately," Roux added.
On hearing the graphic account, Pistorius, who had been self-controlled in the trial so far, bowed his head and folded his hands behind his neck, then wiped away tears with a white handkerchief. Across the court, one of Steenkamp's relatives touched a photo of the model and law graduate, who was 29 when she died, as a man put his arm around her. On hearing the graphic account, Pistorius, 27, who had been self-controlled in the trial so far, bowed his head and folded his hands behind his neck, then wiped away tears with a white handkerchief. Across the court, one of Steenkamp's relatives touched a photo of the model and law graduate, who was 29 when she died, as a man put his arm around her.
Day two of the "blockbuster trial" was emotionally charged as a star witness for the prosecution also lost her composure and wept. Michelle Burger, who claims to have heard "bloodcurdling screams" coming from Pistorius's house, had just survived a fierce cross-examination from Roux (South Africa's 24-hour trial TV channel asked viewers if Roux was "too hard" on Burger: 54% said yes, 46% said no.) But it was the gentler questioning of Nel that finally moved the university lecturer to tears. Day two of the "blockbuster trial" was emotionally charged as a star witness for the prosecution also lost her composure and wept. Michelle Burger, who claims to have heard "bloodcurdling screams" coming from Pistorius's house, had just undergone a fierce cross-examination from Roux (South Africa's 24-hour trial TV channel asked viewers if Roux was "too hard" on Burger: 54% said yes, 46% said no.) But it was the gentler questioning of Nel that finally moved the university lecturer to tears.
He asked Burger about her emotions at the time when she made her statement to police. "It was quite raw," she said, her voice breaking.He asked Burger about her emotions at the time when she made her statement to police. "It was quite raw," she said, her voice breaking.
"When I'm in the shower, I relive her shouts," Burger, who lives 177 metres from Pistorius's house, said of hearing screaming before, during and immediately after the sound of gunshots."When I'm in the shower, I relive her shouts," Burger, who lives 177 metres from Pistorius's house, said of hearing screaming before, during and immediately after the sound of gunshots.
Nel asked her how she was coping. "I'm coping fine. It's been a year."Nel asked her how she was coping. "I'm coping fine. It's been a year."
The state then called its second witness, Estelle van der Merwe, who lives less than 100 metres away from Pistorius's luxury home in a gated community. "I woke up in the morning at 1.56am to sounds of someone talking loudly and fighting," she told the court through an Afrikaans language interpreter. "It lasted about an hour. From where I was sitting it seemed like two people were having an argument but I couldn't hear the other person's voice." The state then called its second witness, Estelle van der Merwe, who lives less than 100 metres from Pistorius's luxury home in a gated community. "I woke up in the morning at 1.56am to sounds of someone talking loudly and fighting," she told the court through an Afrikaans language interpreter. "It lasted about an hour. From where I was sitting it seemed like two people were having an argument but I couldn't hear the other person's voice."
Later she recalled waking up to the sound of loud bangs. But Roux put it to her: "The fact is you did not hear an argument. You heard a woman's voice. You could not hear the language or words spoken."Later she recalled waking up to the sound of loud bangs. But Roux put it to her: "The fact is you did not hear an argument. You heard a woman's voice. You could not hear the language or words spoken."
During the cross-examination it also emerged that the defence team went to Pistorius's home in February this year and arranged for a man and woman to scream at the top of their voices at 2-3am to test how far the sound would travel.During the cross-examination it also emerged that the defence team went to Pistorius's home in February this year and arranged for a man and woman to scream at the top of their voices at 2-3am to test how far the sound would travel.
Finally Burger's softly spoken husband, Charl Johnson, also took the stand, telling judge Thokozile Masipa that a woman's screams woke him up and that he ran to his balcony. "At that point the fear and intensity of her voice escalated and it was clear that this person's life was in danger," he said. "That's when the first shots were fired." Finally Burger's softly spoken husband, Charl Johnson, also took the stand, telling the judge, Thokozile Masipa, that a woman's screams woke him up and that he ran to his balcony. "At that point the fear and intensity of her voice escalated and it was clear that this person's life was in danger," he said. "That's when the first shots were fired."
Both Johnson and Burger also said they heard a man shout for help, a point that was seized upon by the defence as evidence that Pistorius was calling for help.Both Johnson and Burger also said they heard a man shout for help, a point that was seized upon by the defence as evidence that Pistorius was calling for help.
The trial is making South African legal history because it is being broadcast live. But on Tuesday Nel accused the eNews Channel Africa of a "clear violation" of a court ruling by airing Burger's photograph. The channel said it got the picture from an independent source and pointed out it was also published in newspapers.The trial is making South African legal history because it is being broadcast live. But on Tuesday Nel accused the eNews Channel Africa of a "clear violation" of a court ruling by airing Burger's photograph. The channel said it got the picture from an independent source and pointed out it was also published in newspapers.
Judge Masipa called for an investigation and said: "I am warning the media, if you do not behave, you are not going to be treated with soft gloves by this court."Judge Masipa called for an investigation and said: "I am warning the media, if you do not behave, you are not going to be treated with soft gloves by this court."
Meanwhile Steenkamp's mother, June, has told of her disappointment after the Paralympic athlete walked past her in court on Monday without acknowledging her presence. Meanwhile Steenkamp's mother, June, has told of her disappointment after Pistorius walked past her in court on Monday without acknowledging her presence.
June, 67, had never met the "blade runner" before but travelled from her home in a hamlet near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape province, to attend court in the hope of looking him in the eye.June, 67, had never met the "blade runner" before but travelled from her home in a hamlet near Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape province, to attend court in the hope of looking him in the eye.
"I wanted to see him and him to see me," she told ITV News. "But he didn't look at me or anything. He just walked straight and looked ahead.""I wanted to see him and him to see me," she told ITV News. "But he didn't look at me or anything. He just walked straight and looked ahead."
She looked sombre at the trial and stared at Pistorius for long moments when he entered, but he appeared not to notice and never returned her gaze. Sitting in the dock, he spent most of the day writing notes and studiously avoided looking back at the public gallery.She looked sombre at the trial and stared at Pistorius for long moments when he entered, but he appeared not to notice and never returned her gaze. Sitting in the dock, he spent most of the day writing notes and studiously avoided looking back at the public gallery.
"The whole point was he must see me, that I'm there," she said. "I'm her mother and you know, what happened to her was terrible. And I wanted him to see me there, that I am there representing Reeva.""The whole point was he must see me, that I'm there," she said. "I'm her mother and you know, what happened to her was terrible. And I wanted him to see me there, that I am there representing Reeva."
June said hearing evidence about her daughter's death was "very traumatic, very hard". She continued: "I tried to keep strong. There was one occasion where I didn't and I had a little breakdown, you know where they were talking about Reeva, what she went through and how she was traumatised.June said hearing evidence about her daughter's death was "very traumatic, very hard". She continued: "I tried to keep strong. There was one occasion where I didn't and I had a little breakdown, you know where they were talking about Reeva, what she went through and how she was traumatised.
"You can imagine. She's locked herself in the toilet and she's been shot and she's in pain. I wish I could have been there to protect her. That's my child that I gave birth to and it's hard for me that she's dead, that she's gone. That was the time I broke down.""You can imagine. She's locked herself in the toilet and she's been shot and she's in pain. I wish I could have been there to protect her. That's my child that I gave birth to and it's hard for me that she's dead, that she's gone. That was the time I broke down."
Her husband, Barry, was not in court after suffering a minor stroke. June herself did not attend proceedings on Tuesday. Her husband, Barry, was not in court after suffering a minor stroke. June herself did not attend proceedings on Tuesday
She said she can forgive Pistorius, a double amputee who starred at the London Olympics and Paralympics, for his catastrophic actions. "I'm not a person who hates another person," she said. "One has to forgive, otherwise I will sit with all that anger and I don't want it to burn me up. One has to forgive. We'll never forget." She said she can forgive Pistorius, a double amputee who ran in the London Olympics and Paralympics, for his catastrophic actions. "I'm not a person who hates another person," she said. "One has to forgive, otherwise I will sit with all that anger and I don't want it to burn me up. One has to forgive. We'll never forget."
Pistorius faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison before parole if convicted of murder. The case continues.Pistorius faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison before parole if convicted of murder. The case continues.