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Judge Bans Broadcast of Autopsy Testimony at Pistorius Murder Trial Judge Bans Broadcast of Autopsy Testimony at Pistorius Murder Trial
(about 1 hour later)
Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee track star accused of murdering his girlfriend, was reported on Monday to have vomited in the courtroom as a pathologist discussed the autopsy in testimony that was subject to a ban on live broadcasting or reporting on Twitter. Oscar Pistorius, the double amputee track star accused of murdering his girlfriend, was reported on Monday to have vomited in the courtroom as a pathologist testified about her autopsy, which was subject to a ban on live broadcasting or reporting on Twitter.
The athlete’s reaction came after the judge in the trial, now in its second week, concurred with requests from both the defense and prosecution — and from the pathologist Gert Saayman — for live audio, Twitter feeds and video broadcasting of testimony to be prohibited because of what was termed the “explicitly graphic nature” of the evidence. The athlete’s reaction came after the judge in the trial, now in its second week, concurred with requests from both the defense and prosecution — and from the pathologist, Gert Saayman — for live audio, Twitter feeds and video broadcasting of testimony to be prohibited because of what was termed the “explicitly graphic nature” of the evidence.
Before the ban came into force, Mr. Saayman said his testimony had “the potential to compromise the dignity of the deceased.”Before the ban came into force, Mr. Saayman said his testimony had “the potential to compromise the dignity of the deceased.”
“I think that it goes against the good morals of society for us to make information of this nature available in a manner that vulnerable or unsuspecting people in society may be exposed,” he said.“I think that it goes against the good morals of society for us to make information of this nature available in a manner that vulnerable or unsuspecting people in society may be exposed,” he said.
It remained unclear whether summaries of the testimony would also be forbidden. The ban contradicted an earlier ruling by a different judge that all testimony would be relayed live on radio and that much of it would be shown on television.It remained unclear whether summaries of the testimony would also be forbidden. The ban contradicted an earlier ruling by a different judge that all testimony would be relayed live on radio and that much of it would be shown on television.
The broadcasting ban rekindled a debate about the court’s handling of the huge public interest in the trial of Mr. Pistorius, an athlete whose triumphs as the “Blade Runner” — referring to the sickle-shaped prosthetics that enable him to compete — seemed an emblem of triumph over adversity.The broadcasting ban rekindled a debate about the court’s handling of the huge public interest in the trial of Mr. Pistorius, an athlete whose triumphs as the “Blade Runner” — referring to the sickle-shaped prosthetics that enable him to compete — seemed an emblem of triumph over adversity.
The prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, said the ban ordered on Monday by Judge Thokozile Masipa, was “not a question of press freedom.”The prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, said the ban ordered on Monday by Judge Thokozile Masipa, was “not a question of press freedom.”
Before the trial, Mr. Pistorius’s defense team had sought an absolute ban on all live broadcasting from the courtroom in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa.Before the trial, Mr. Pistorius’s defense team had sought an absolute ban on all live broadcasting from the courtroom in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa.
After the ban came into force, reporters in the courtroom said that Mr. Pistorius had begun to vomit as the pathologist testified.After the ban came into force, reporters in the courtroom said that Mr. Pistorius had begun to vomit as the pathologist testified.
Karyn Maughan, a legal reporter for eNCA, a news channel in South Africa, said in a Twitter feed that the sound of Mr. Pistorius’s vomiting was “audible to everyone sitting in court, a constant grim soundtrack to Saayman’s testimony.”Karyn Maughan, a legal reporter for eNCA, a news channel in South Africa, said in a Twitter feed that the sound of Mr. Pistorius’s vomiting was “audible to everyone sitting in court, a constant grim soundtrack to Saayman’s testimony.”
In a separate feed, she said that one court official “has her hand over her mouth. She, like many other people in this court, looks nauseous.”In a separate feed, she said that one court official “has her hand over her mouth. She, like many other people in this court, looks nauseous.”
Mr. Pistorius, 27, is accused of the premeditated murder of his 29-year-old girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013. If convicted, he would face a minimum 25-year jail term. But Mr. Pistorius has said that Ms. Steenkamp was killed by mistake when he fired four shots through a locked bathroom door, believing that there was an intruder in his upscale villa in a gated complex in Pretoria.Mr. Pistorius, 27, is accused of the premeditated murder of his 29-year-old girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013. If convicted, he would face a minimum 25-year jail term. But Mr. Pistorius has said that Ms. Steenkamp was killed by mistake when he fired four shots through a locked bathroom door, believing that there was an intruder in his upscale villa in a gated complex in Pretoria.
The broadcasting ban on Monday was the second ruling that Judge Masipa has made on coverage of the trial. Last week, she ordered that still images of witnesses who had requested not be shown on television, even if they had been collected from websites or other sources outside the courtroom, could not be reproduced in reporting of the hearings. The broadcasting ban on Monday was the second ruling that Judge Masipa has made on coverage of the trial. Last week, she ordered that still images of witnesses who had requested not to be pictured on television — even if the images had been collected from websites or other sources outside the courtroom — could not be reproduced in reporting of the hearings.
The judge made the ruling after images of a witness for the prosecution, taken from a website, were shown by media organizations. “I am warning the media, if you do not behave, you will not be treated with soft gloves,” Judge Masipa said.The judge made the ruling after images of a witness for the prosecution, taken from a website, were shown by media organizations. “I am warning the media, if you do not behave, you will not be treated with soft gloves,” Judge Masipa said.