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| Pistorius howls as he recalls moment he realised he shot girlfriend dead | Pistorius howls as he recalls moment he realised he shot girlfriend dead |
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| Oscar Pistorius broke down and howled wildly in court as he recalled the moment he realised that he had shot dead his girlfriend. | Oscar Pistorius broke down and howled wildly in court as he recalled the moment he realised that he had shot dead his girlfriend. |
| "She wasn't breathing," the athlete sobbed, finally surrendering to his emotions and letting out deep, visceral moans and wails that stunned the packed courtroom and brought his murder trial to a halt. | |
| The loud cries were echoed by Pistorius's family, who raced across the room to comfort him as he sat trembling on the witness stand, hands clasped to his eyes, all self-control lost. | |
| It was a dramatic end to the second day of defence testimony in the case in Pretoria, South Africa. Pistorius, 27, had been giving a detailed account of what happened at his home in the early hours of 14 February 2013, when he shot four times through a locked toilet door and killed Reeva Steenkamp. | It was a dramatic end to the second day of defence testimony in the case in Pretoria, South Africa. Pistorius, 27, had been giving a detailed account of what happened at his home in the early hours of 14 February 2013, when he shot four times through a locked toilet door and killed Reeva Steenkamp. |
| He described how the couple retired to his bedroom after a quiet evening. He fell asleep but woke up and brought in two fans from his balcony, then heard a noise, he said. "That's the moment everything changed," he told the court, his voice shaking. | He described how the couple retired to his bedroom after a quiet evening. He fell asleep but woke up and brought in two fans from his balcony, then heard a noise, he said. "That's the moment everything changed," he told the court, his voice shaking. |
| "I thought that there was a burglar that was gaining entry to my home." | "I thought that there was a burglar that was gaining entry to my home." |
| The athlete said he had wanted to protect Steenkamp, who was still awake at the time. He said he had gone to get his 9mm pistol from beside his bed in the dark. "I whispered to Reeva to get down and phone the police," he continued. | The athlete said he had wanted to protect Steenkamp, who was still awake at the time. He said he had gone to get his 9mm pistol from beside his bed in the dark. "I whispered to Reeva to get down and phone the police," he continued. |
| He said he then went into the passage without his prosthetic legs and, overcome with fear, started screaming, and shouted for Steenkamp to get to the floor. He then heard the toilet door slam, which confirmed there were one or more people there. | He said he then went into the passage without his prosthetic legs and, overcome with fear, started screaming, and shouted for Steenkamp to get to the floor. He then heard the toilet door slam, which confirmed there were one or more people there. |
| Pistorius crept towards the toilet with the gun in front of him, he said falteringly. "I wasn't sure if someone was going to come out of the toilet and attack me … I heard a noise from inside the toilet, what I perceived to be someone coming out of the toilet. Before I knew it, I had fired four shots at the door." | |
| He said he screamed for Steenkamp to call the police then went back to the bedroom and realised she was not there. "I didn't want to believe it could be Reeva inside the toilet. I was still scared that someone was coming to attack us." | He said he screamed for Steenkamp to call the police then went back to the bedroom and realised she was not there. "I didn't want to believe it could be Reeva inside the toilet. I was still scared that someone was coming to attack us." |
| Eventually, he told the court, he went back to the toilet but found it locked. "I shouted from the balcony for help. Help! Help! Help! … I was screaming and shouting the whole time, crying out. I don't think I've ever screamed like that or cried like that." | Eventually, he told the court, he went back to the toilet but found it locked. "I shouted from the balcony for help. Help! Help! Help! … I was screaming and shouting the whole time, crying out. I don't think I've ever screamed like that or cried like that." |
| He tried and failed to kick the door down, he said, then attacked it with a cricket bat. | He tried and failed to kick the door down, he said, then attacked it with a cricket bat. |
| "I hit the door three times and there was a big plank. I grabbed it with my hands and threw it into the bathroom. I saw the key inside and unlocked the door and flung it open. I said 'Oh Reeva,' and I cried." | "I hit the door three times and there was a big plank. I grabbed it with my hands and threw it into the bathroom. I saw the key inside and unlocked the door and flung it open. I said 'Oh Reeva,' and I cried." |
| Pistorius had begun his second day of testimony with a description of how he met the vivacious law graduate and how they quickly grew closer. He said they had begun to plan a future together. | Pistorius had begun his second day of testimony with a description of how he met the vivacious law graduate and how they quickly grew closer. He said they had begun to plan a future together. |
| "The first six days we knew each other we called each other every day," he said. "I was very keen on Reeva. We started really seeing a future with each other." | "The first six days we knew each other we called each other every day," he said. "I was very keen on Reeva. We started really seeing a future with each other." |
| The star Paralympian cried as he read reams of transcribed cell phone messages he and Steenkamp sent each other during their four month relationship. In one typical message the aspiring actress affectionately said "I love you, boo". | The star Paralympian cried as he read reams of transcribed cell phone messages he and Steenkamp sent each other during their four month relationship. In one typical message the aspiring actress affectionately said "I love you, boo". |
| Pistorius also sought to explain text messages in which Steenkamp said she was frightened about his behaviour. | Pistorius also sought to explain text messages in which Steenkamp said she was frightened about his behaviour. |
| "I'm scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and how you will act towards me," Steenkamp said. Pistorius said: "I just think it was a bad hour in our relationship," describing a fight at an engagement party. | |
| Pistorius's initial evidence has focused on countering the prosecution's portrayal of him as reckless and obsessed with fast cars and guns. | Pistorius's initial evidence has focused on countering the prosecution's portrayal of him as reckless and obsessed with fast cars and guns. |
| He began on Monday by issuing a tearful apology to the Steenkamp family. "I can promise that when she went to bed that night she felt loved," he said choking back tears. | |
| Pistorius is likely to remain on the stand most of the week as his extensive testimony led by his defence team is expected to be followed by gruelling and lengthy cross-examination by the prosecution. | |
| Cape Town-based criminal advocate William Booth, who is not participating in the trial, said much will depend on how Pistorius holds up in that second phase. "Oscar's evidence can only be properly assessed once he's been cross-examined," Booth said. | Cape Town-based criminal advocate William Booth, who is not participating in the trial, said much will depend on how Pistorius holds up in that second phase. "Oscar's evidence can only be properly assessed once he's been cross-examined," Booth said. |
| In the five weeks since the trial began, Pistorius has appeared fragile and sometimes annoyed, frequently crying in court. He was physically sick when the gruesome details of Steenkamp's death were discussed. | In the five weeks since the trial began, Pistorius has appeared fragile and sometimes annoyed, frequently crying in court. He was physically sick when the gruesome details of Steenkamp's death were discussed. |
| His lawyer, Barry Roux, said he would call 14 to 17 witnesses in his case to testify on ballistics, urine emptying, damage to the toilet door, sound, and "disability and vulnerability". | |
| The trial is expected to resume on Wednesday and run until at least mid-May. |