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| Oscar Pistorius' ex-girlfriend says he fired from car | Oscar Pistorius' ex-girlfriend says he fired from car |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Oscar Pistorius' ex-girlfriend has told his trial he once fired his gun from his car sunroof after becoming angry with police. | |
| Earlier, Samantha Taylor broke down while discussing two breakups up with the athlete. | |
| She said Mr Pistorius had twice been unfaithful, with the relationship finally ending when he "cheated" on her with Reeva Steenkamp. | She said Mr Pistorius had twice been unfaithful, with the relationship finally ending when he "cheated" on her with Reeva Steenkamp. |
| He denies both murdering Ms Steenkamp and the alleged shooting incident. | |
| The defence also pointed to emails it said proved the relationship with Ms Taylor was already over by the time Mr Pistorius began seeing Ms Steenkamp. | The defence also pointed to emails it said proved the relationship with Ms Taylor was already over by the time Mr Pistorius began seeing Ms Steenkamp. |
| Ms Taylor insisted the relationship was not "officially" over when he started dating Ms Steenkamp. | Ms Taylor insisted the relationship was not "officially" over when he started dating Ms Steenkamp. |
| She also said the alleged shooting incident happened when he became angry after a police officer stopped him for speeding, saw the gun on the car seat and told him it could not be left there. | She also said the alleged shooting incident happened when he became angry after a police officer stopped him for speeding, saw the gun on the car seat and told him it could not be left there. |
| She accepted that he laughed around the time he actually fired the gun. | She accepted that he laughed around the time he actually fired the gun. |
| Ms Taylor testified that Mr Pistorius kept his gun "on him all the time," and described him as a man who could get very angry. | Ms Taylor testified that Mr Pistorius kept his gun "on him all the time," and described him as a man who could get very angry. |
| Crucial testimony | |
| The BBC's Nomsa Maseko says that while Samantha Taylor was brought in to testify in connection with the lesser firearm charge, her evidence about the alleged shooting incident is crucial to the prosecution's case over the murder charge too, as it paints Mr Pistorius as an angry, reckless gun owner. | |
| On Wednesday, the court heard evidence from boxer Kevin Lerena, about another incident in which Mr Pistorius is alleged to have fired a gun - in a restaurant - after it was passed to him by another friend in the group. He said Mr Pistorius asked the gun's owner to take the blame. | |
| Towards the end of Samantha Taylor's evidence on Friday, the court was adjourned a second time when she broke down again in the witness box. | |
| After returning, she was asked by the prosecution if there had been other occasions when Mr Pistorius thought there was an intruder in his house. | |
| She replied that it had happened at least twice. Crucially, she said he always woke her up before taking his gun with him to check. | |
| Mr Pistorius claims that he shot Ms Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder. | |
| If found guilty, the 27-year-old double-amputee, dubbed the "blade runner", could face life imprisonment. | If found guilty, the 27-year-old double-amputee, dubbed the "blade runner", could face life imprisonment. |
| Neighbours' testimony | Neighbours' testimony |
| Friday's trial began with more testimony from neighbour Johan Stipp, who on Thursday told the court he found Mr Pistorius praying over Ms Steenkamp's body as she lay dying. | Friday's trial began with more testimony from neighbour Johan Stipp, who on Thursday told the court he found Mr Pistorius praying over Ms Steenkamp's body as she lay dying. |
| Questions again focussed on his and other witness accounts of the timing of screams and gunshots. | |
| The prosecutor stressed these do not fit Mr Pistorius' version of events, while the defence tried to draw out differences in the testimony given by the neighbours who have appeared in court so far. | |
| 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 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. | 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. |