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| Oscar Pistorius trial: Athlete tells court Reeva Steenkamp died in his arms after tragic shooting | Oscar Pistorius trial: Athlete tells court Reeva Steenkamp died in his arms after tragic shooting |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Oscar Pistorius returned to the witness stand after breaking down in tears and wailing in court while describing the moment he pulled the trigger and fired four fatal shots at girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year. | Oscar Pistorius returned to the witness stand after breaking down in tears and wailing in court while describing the moment he pulled the trigger and fired four fatal shots at girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year. |
| The athlete went on to explain the dramatic moments that followed the shooting, after he realised he had shot Ms Steenkamp through a locked toilet door, in what he claims was a case of mistaken identity. | |
| Pistorius told Pretoria's High Court that he put his hand on her hip, where she had been shot, to stop the bleeding and placed his fingers on her mouth to help her breathe. | |
| The athlete told the court Ms Steenkamp died in his arms. He denied denied he had ever intended to kill his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, "‘or anyone else for that matter", his murder trial heard. | |
| Pistorius said he felt helpless and that he wanted to take her to a hospital, but a neighbor advised him to wait for paramedics to arrive at the Silver Woods estate. Police later appeared on the scene. | |
| "I asked a policeman if I could wash my hands because the smell of the blood was making me throw up," Pistorius said. "Every time I saw Reeva, I got sick. So I stayed more inside the kitchen. I sat in the pantry against the washing machine." | |
| He was then told to go to the garage, where he was photographed, and later told he was under arrest. Police advised him to keep his head down while exiting the house because there was "a lot of media" waiting for him. | |
| After an hour of testimony, his defence counsel concluded their three long days of leading Pistorius through his testimony, and handed over to State Prosecutor Gerrie Nel, whose began his cross examination, which expected to last several days, in brutal fashion. | |
| "You made a mistake? You killed a person. You killed Reeva Steenkamp | |
| "Say it. Say I shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp," he demanded of him. | |
| "I did, my lady," Mr Pistorius tearfully replied. | |
| Within minutes Pistorius’s defence counsel objected to the state’s plan to show a video of Pistorius firing a gun at a firing range, and someone in the video, possibly the athlete, referring to either a gun or a bullet as a ‘zombie stopper.’ The athlete claimed not to be familiar with the word. | |
| Yesterday, Pistorius sobbed uncontrollably as he described the moment he realised Ms Steenkamp wasn't in bed and smashed down the toilet door to reach her. By the time Pistorius entered the toilet, Ms Steenkamp "wasn't breathing". | Yesterday, Pistorius sobbed uncontrollably as he described the moment he realised Ms Steenkamp wasn't in bed and smashed down the toilet door to reach her. By the time Pistorius entered the toilet, Ms Steenkamp "wasn't breathing". |
| He told the court he feared an intruder had entered the house after hearing the sound of a "window sliding open" in the early hours of 14 February. Pistorius told the court he asked Ms Steenkamp to call the police immediately. | He told the court he feared an intruder had entered the house after hearing the sound of a "window sliding open" in the early hours of 14 February. Pistorius told the court he asked Ms Steenkamp to call the police immediately. |
| He then heard the sound of a door slamming shut, which he said convinced him an intruder was already inside his bedroom and shot at the toilet door four times using his 9mm pistol. | He then heard the sound of a door slamming shut, which he said convinced him an intruder was already inside his bedroom and shot at the toilet door four times using his 9mm pistol. |
| Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Steenkamp, claiming he shot the model by mistake thinking she was an intruder in his home. Prosecutors argue he intentionally shot and killed the 29-year old model following a domestic dispute. | Pistorius has pleaded not guilty to murdering Ms Steenkamp, claiming he shot the model by mistake thinking she was an intruder in his home. Prosecutors argue he intentionally shot and killed the 29-year old model following a domestic dispute. |
| There are no juries at trials in South Africa and Pistorius's fate will ultimately be decided by Judge Masipa, assisted by two assessors. | There are no juries at trials in South Africa and Pistorius's fate will ultimately be decided by Judge Masipa, assisted by two assessors. |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |