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Reeva Steenkamp's mother: I can't tell if Oscar Pistorius is acting in court Reeva Steenkamp's mother: I can't tell if Oscar Pistorius is acting in court
(about 9 hours later)
The mother of Reeva Steenkamp, the woman shot dead by Oscar Pistorius, has said the Olympic athlete has been transformed from hero to devil in South Africa since he killed her daughter. The mother of Reeva Steenkamp, the woman shot dead by Oscar Pistorius, has told the Mirror the Olympic athlete has been transformed from hero to devil in South Africa since he killed her daughter.
Speaking during Pistorius's trial for murder in Pretoria, June Steenkamp said: "He has an aggressive persona, he's used to having people adore him, so it must be pretty different for him now. He's been spoilt by other people, that's why he struts around and looks superior. He's gone from hero to devil." Speaking during Pistorius's trial for murder in Pretoria, June Steenkamp told the paper: "He has an aggressive persona, he's used to having people adore him, so it must be pretty different for him now. He's been spoilt by other people, that's why he struts around and looks superior. He's gone from hero to devil."
Steenkamp, 67, said she is still trying to decide whether the sprinter is acting as he defends himself against the murder charge.Steenkamp, 67, said she is still trying to decide whether the sprinter is acting as he defends himself against the murder charge.
"I look at Oscar the whole time, to see how he is coping, how he is behaving. I'm obsessed with looking at him, it's just instinctive, I can't explain it. I keep thinking: 'Let me see how he's taking this.'"I look at Oscar the whole time, to see how he is coping, how he is behaving. I'm obsessed with looking at him, it's just instinctive, I can't explain it. I keep thinking: 'Let me see how he's taking this.'
"He has been very dramatic, the vomiting and crying. I think he's just about keeping himself together. I don't know whether he's acting. Most of the time he's on his cell phone or looking down at papers or writing notes," she told the Mirror."He has been very dramatic, the vomiting and crying. I think he's just about keeping himself together. I don't know whether he's acting. Most of the time he's on his cell phone or looking down at papers or writing notes," she told the Mirror.
Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was shot dead by Pistorius in their home last year. He said he mistook her for an intruder. June Steenkamp did not meet her daughter's boyfriend until they met in court.Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was shot dead by Pistorius in their home last year. He said he mistook her for an intruder. June Steenkamp did not meet her daughter's boyfriend until they met in court.
"He did eventually look at me. My presence unnerves him, I'm sure of it. He's answerable to me. He looked at me and said: 'Good morning, Mrs Steenkamp.' I never answered, I just nodded my head."He did eventually look at me. My presence unnerves him, I'm sure of it. He's answerable to me. He looked at me and said: 'Good morning, Mrs Steenkamp.' I never answered, I just nodded my head.
"I don't know the man. All I know is what he's done. He must see me there in the court, he must feel my eyes boring into him, I think it makes a lot of difference."I don't know the man. All I know is what he's done. He must see me there in the court, he must feel my eyes boring into him, I think it makes a lot of difference.
"I do look at him too much, maybe. I like to see how he is reacting. I can see him very clearly, even without my glasses – he's the only one I can see, he's right in front of me, " she said."I do look at him too much, maybe. I like to see how he is reacting. I can see him very clearly, even without my glasses – he's the only one I can see, he's right in front of me, " she said.
Pistorius, 27, apologised for the death of Steenkamp when he took the stand in Pretoria this week but it did not convince June Steenkamp.Pistorius, 27, apologised for the death of Steenkamp when he took the stand in Pretoria this week but it did not convince June Steenkamp.
Speaking about the apology, she said: "It left me unmoved. I knew it was coming. My lawyers had prepared me for it. I cried for the first time: 'Yes', but not because he apologised, because of the suffering and agony that my darling daughter went through and because I will never have her again."Speaking about the apology, she said: "It left me unmoved. I knew it was coming. My lawyers had prepared me for it. I cried for the first time: 'Yes', but not because he apologised, because of the suffering and agony that my darling daughter went through and because I will never have her again."
Steenkamp has heard harrowing descriptions of her daughter's last moments and injuries and has seen photographs of her dead body during the trial. She said that she feels helpless when she hears about her daughter's last moments.Steenkamp has heard harrowing descriptions of her daughter's last moments and injuries and has seen photographs of her dead body during the trial. She said that she feels helpless when she hears about her daughter's last moments.
"It haunts me," she said. "We couldn't help her. We couldn't do anything. I imagine how she must have been in terror and pain and suffering, devastated by what was going on."It haunts me," she said. "We couldn't help her. We couldn't do anything. I imagine how she must have been in terror and pain and suffering, devastated by what was going on.
"I relive that scene in the bathroom and it's changed me so much, made me harder. My daughter is dead. He killed her. He shot her till she was dead in that toilet, in that bathroom, so how am I ever going to feel better about it?" she said."I relive that scene in the bathroom and it's changed me so much, made me harder. My daughter is dead. He killed her. He shot her till she was dead in that toilet, in that bathroom, so how am I ever going to feel better about it?" she said.
The prosecution has rested its case against Pistorius and the athlete has begun to outline his defence.The prosecution has rested its case against Pistorius and the athlete has begun to outline his defence.