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Oscar Pistorius recounts night of killing | Oscar Pistorius recounts night of killing |
(35 minutes later) | |
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has begun to describe in court the moments leading up to the shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. | South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has begun to describe in court the moments leading up to the shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. |
The athlete denies deliberately shooting dead Ms Steenkamp in his home on Valentine's Day last year, arguing he mistook her for an intruder. | The athlete denies deliberately shooting dead Ms Steenkamp in his home on Valentine's Day last year, arguing he mistook her for an intruder. |
He said he was overcome with fear after hearing a noise from the bathroom. | He said he was overcome with fear after hearing a noise from the bathroom. |
Earlier he cried when describing Valentine's Day gifts they were to give each other. | Earlier he cried when describing Valentine's Day gifts they were to give each other. |
On his first day on the stand, he made a tearful apology to Ms Steenkamp's family. | On his first day on the stand, he made a tearful apology to Ms Steenkamp's family. |
If found guilty, the 27-year-old athlete could face life imprisonment. | If found guilty, the 27-year-old athlete could face life imprisonment. |
Describing hearing the noise, he told his murder trial in a voice trembling with emotion: "That's the moment everything changed". | |
"I thought that there was a burglar that was gaining entry to my home," he said | |
The athlete, 27, said he wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp and went to get his gun. | |
"I whispered to Reeva to get down and phone the police," he said. | |
Shortly afterwards, he retched as a photograph of her body was briefly shown on a screen in court. | |
He also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, which he denies. | He also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, which he denies. |
There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors. | There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors. |