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Oscar Pistorius found praying over Reeva Steenkamp body | Oscar Pistorius found praying over Reeva Steenkamp body |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A neighbour of Oscar Pistorius has told his murder trial he found the South African Paralympic star praying over the body of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp as she lay dying. | A neighbour of Oscar Pistorius has told his murder trial he found the South African Paralympic star praying over the body of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp as she lay dying. |
In the trial's first account of the moments after the shooting, Johan Stipp said he tried to revive Ms Steenkamp. | In the trial's first account of the moments after the shooting, Johan Stipp said he tried to revive Ms Steenkamp. |
During Dr Stipp's testimony, Mr Pistorius cried and seemed to retch. | During Dr Stipp's testimony, Mr Pistorius cried and seemed to retch. |
The double amputee denies intentionally killing her, saying he mistook the 29-year-old model for an intruder. | The double amputee denies intentionally killing her, saying he mistook the 29-year-old model for an intruder. |
If found guilty, the 27-year-old, a national sporting hero dubbed the "blade runner", could face life imprisonment. | |
'Crying all the time' | |
Dr Stipp, who was testifying on the fourth day of the trial at the high court in the capital, Pretoria, said he could see Ms Steenkamp's brain tissue in her hair. | |
It was at this point in the testimony that a police officer passed a plastic bag to Mr Pistorius. | |
Recalling the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013, Dr Stipp said he had heard gunshots and after making sure it was safe, went to help. | |
When he got to Mr Pistorius' house, he found the athlete kneeling by Ms Steenkamp, with "his left hand on her right groin, and his right hand - the second and third fingers - in her mouth". | |
"I shot her," the Paralympic star told him. "I thought she was a burglar." | "I shot her," the Paralympic star told him. "I thought she was a burglar." |
"Oscar was crying all the time,'' Dr Stipp said. "He was praying to God [saying] `Please let her live.'" | "Oscar was crying all the time,'' Dr Stipp said. "He was praying to God [saying] `Please let her live.'" |
Dr Stipp said Mr Pistorius had been in an emotional state, and fearing he might hurt himself, had asked where the gun was. | |
Before the trial was adjourned until Friday, Dr Stipp also testified that he saw a bathroom light on at Mr Pistorius's house and a figure moving from right to left as a woman screamed. | |
The defence case is that all the screams came from Mr Pistorius. | |
Earlier, defence lawyer Barry Roux said that two neighbours, Michell Burger and Charl Johnson, had discussed their testimony with each other and amended the rough notes they had made a few days after the shooting. | Earlier, defence lawyer Barry Roux said that two neighbours, Michell Burger and Charl Johnson, had discussed their testimony with each other and amended the rough notes they had made a few days after the shooting. |
"Your interpretation [of events] is designed to incriminate the accused and it's unfortunate," Mr Roux said. | "Your interpretation [of events] is designed to incriminate the accused and it's unfortunate," Mr Roux said. |
Mr Johnson denied this. He insisted that he had heard a woman screaming "help", followed by a man doing the same. | Mr Johnson denied this. He insisted that he had heard a woman screaming "help", followed by a man doing the same. |
He rejected suggestions that the initial screams could have come from a man. | |
The state is seeking to convince the court that Mr Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp, a model, reality TV star and law graduate, had an argument before the athlete fired the shots that killed his girlfriend. | |
There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by Judge Thokozile Masipa. | There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by Judge Thokozile Masipa. |
Much of the case will depend on ballistic evidence from the scene of the shooting, correspondents say. | Much of the case will depend on ballistic evidence from the scene of the shooting, correspondents say. |