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Oscar Pistorius: Reeva died while I was holding her Oscar Pistorius: Reeva died while I was holding her
(about 1 hour later)
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is back in court in Pretoria describing events after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home.South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is back in court in Pretoria describing events after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home.
During his emotional testimony he said Ms Steenkamp died before the ambulance arrived while he was holding her.During his emotional testimony he said Ms Steenkamp died before the ambulance arrived while he was holding her.
He said he tried to help her breathe and stem the bleeding from her hip.He said he tried to help her breathe and stem the bleeding from her hip.
The athlete denies deliberately shooting dead Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year, arguing he mistook her for an intruder.The athlete denies deliberately shooting dead Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year, arguing he mistook her for an intruder.
Prosecutors contend he intentionally killed her after a row. Prosecutors contend he intentionally killed her in the toilet of his bathroom after a row.
The 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic sprinter, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murder.The 27-year-old Olympic and Paralympic sprinter, who is a double amputee, faces life imprisonment if convicted of murder.
On Tuesday, he broke down in tears whilst describing the events leading up to the shooting and the actual event.
If acquitted, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he could receive between six and 15 years in prison.If acquitted, South African law stipulates that the court must consider the separate, lesser charge of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, for which he could receive between six and 15 years in prison.
Mr Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies.Mr Pistorius also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of 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.
Four shots 'Smell of blood'
On Tuesday, the judge adjourned the murder trial when Mr Pistorius broke down in tears whilst describing the lead-up to the shooting and the actual event. On his third day on the stand, Mr Pistorius described the moments after paramedics had arrived at the scene.
In the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013, he said, he had got up from bed to bring in some fans he had left outside, in order to cool his bedroom. "They asked for some space to work so I stood up. Reeva had already died whilst I was holding her before the ambulance arrived. So, I knew there was nothing they could do for her," he told the court.
When he heard a window opening in the bathroom, he said, he thought there was a burglar trying to get in. He also described his distress as police and other officials arrived at the house.
Wanting to protect Ms Steenkamp, who was not sleeping, he had gone to get his gun in the dark. "I asked a policeman if I could wash my hands because the smell of the blood was making me throw up," he said.
"I whispered to Reeva to get down and phone the police," he said. His lawyer Barry Roux also asked him to demonstrate how he would swing a cricket bat.
He said he then went into the passage without his prosthetic legs and, overcome with fear, started screaming, and shouted for Ms Steenkamp to get to the floor. Mr Pistorius said he was on his prosthetic legs when he used the cricket bat to break down the toilet door.
"I heard a noise from inside the toilet, what I perceived to be someone coming out of the toilet," he said tearfully. He said the three sounds heard by witnesses at 03:17 local time was the cricket bat hitting the door - about five minutes after he shot at the toilet door.
"Before I knew it, I had fired four shots at the door," he told the court. He said he was on his stumps, when he shot at the door.
After the shooting, Mr Pistorius said he had smashed in a door panel to get into the toilet, where he discovered what he had done. "I can barely stand on my stumps," he said.
"Whilst I leant over the partition to get in, I saw the key, so I took it and I unlocked the door, and I flung the door open, and I threw it open," he said, sobbing. 'Loud crying'
"And I sat over Reeva and I cried... and um, I don't know how long... I don't know how long I was there for... She wasn't breathing." During his questioning, Mr Roux also mentioned statements from close neighbours who were listed by the state but not called by the prosecution.
As the athlete broke down, the judge adjourned the trial. He said the statement from Kenny Motshoane's house described hearing "crying" and not "a woman screaming", as mentioned by other witnesses.
Stumps Another woman living nearby also says she heard "loud crying" and not a woman screaming, Mr Roux said.
Mr Pistorius's lawyer had earlier asked him to demonstrate his height without his prosthetic legs. Before Mr Roux ended his questioning he asked Mr Pistorius if he had intentionally killed Ms Steenkamp.
Gasps were heard in the overflow courtroom as he slowly walked on his stumps over to the mock-up of the toilet door, the BBC's Pumza Fihlani reports. "I did not intend to kill Reeva or anybody else for that matter," he replied.
His confident demeanour changed - on his stumps he seemed self-conscious, our reporter says. On Tuesday, the athlete described how the couple had spent a quiet evening together on 13 February, Ms Steenkamp doing some yoga as he spoke to his cousin on the phone.
The images were not visible to the outside world as his testimony is not being televised.
Earlier, the athlete described how the couple had spent a quiet evening together on 13 February, Ms Steenkamp doing some yoga as he spoke to his cousin on the phone.
He had then watched TV in bed with his head resting on her stomach and she would occasionally show him photos of cars she was looking at on her phone, he said. He said that they had bought Valentine's Day gifts for each other.He had then watched TV in bed with his head resting on her stomach and she would occasionally show him photos of cars she was looking at on her phone, he said. He said that they had bought Valentine's Day gifts for each other.
Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by at least three bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Mr Pistorius's home in Pretoria.Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by at least three bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Mr Pistorius's home in Pretoria.