This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26984472
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Oscar Pistorius faces new lying claims at murder trial | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The prosecution has resumed questioning Oscar Pistorius at his murder trial, once again accusing the Olympic runner of lying in his testimony. | |
| Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said Mr Pistorius had contradicted himself over changes to his home's alarm system, and had made "nonsensical" statements. | |
| The sprinter blamed tiredness for the mistakes in his testimony. | |
| Mr Pistorius, 27, admits killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp but denies murder, saying it was an accident. | Mr Pistorius, 27, admits killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp but denies murder, saying it was an accident. |
| During the first set of questions on Friday, Mr Nel repeatedly pressed Mr Pistorius as to why his testimony in court did not match his earlier statement, asking him: "Are you too tired to continue?" | |
| "I don't need time. I'm tired. That's not going to change," Mr Pistorius replied. | "I don't need time. I'm tired. That's not going to change," Mr Pistorius replied. |
| Mr Nel then said: "I think you're trying to cover up for lies. I'm not convinced by your answers." | Mr Nel then said: "I think you're trying to cover up for lies. I'm not convinced by your answers." |
| The judge intervened and asked Mr Pistorius to clarify that he was not too tired to carry on. | The judge intervened and asked Mr Pistorius to clarify that he was not too tired to carry on. |
| The cross-examination then continued with in-depth questioning about the alarm system in Mr Pistorius' home. | The cross-examination then continued with in-depth questioning about the alarm system in Mr Pistorius' home. |
| The prosecutor moved on to a discussion of events in the athlete's past, before returning to Mr Pistorius' account of the night Ms Steenkamp was killed. | |
| On Thursday, the sprinter again insisted in court in Pretoria that he shot Ms Steenkamp on 14 February last year after mistaking her for an intruder. | On Thursday, the sprinter again insisted in court in Pretoria that he shot Ms Steenkamp on 14 February last year after mistaking her for an intruder. |
| Mr Pistorius said he had not intended to pull the trigger, even to fire at an intruder, and could not explain why he fired four shots through a toilet cubicle door. | Mr Pistorius said he had not intended to pull the trigger, even to fire at an intruder, and could not explain why he fired four shots through a toilet cubicle door. |
| "I didn't have time to think about it," he said in a trembling voice. | "I didn't have time to think about it," he said in a trembling voice. |
| Mr Nel, known as the "bull terrier" in South Africa for his fierce questioning, set out what the prosecution believed happened in the early hours of 14 February 2013 in Mr Pistorius' Pretoria home. | Mr Nel, known as the "bull terrier" in South Africa for his fierce questioning, set out what the prosecution believed happened in the early hours of 14 February 2013 in Mr Pistorius' Pretoria home. |
| He said the two had an argument in the bedroom, and Ms Steenkamp ran screaming into the toilet. | He said the two had an argument in the bedroom, and Ms Steenkamp ran screaming into the toilet. |
| The chief prosecutor showed a police photograph of the bedroom, taken three hours after the shooting, which he said contradicted Mr Pistorius' account of where various items - including electric cooling fans and a duvet - had been placed at the time of the shooting. | The chief prosecutor showed a police photograph of the bedroom, taken three hours after the shooting, which he said contradicted Mr Pistorius' account of where various items - including electric cooling fans and a duvet - had been placed at the time of the shooting. |
| "Your version is a lie," Mr Nel said - something the defendant denied. | "Your version is a lie," Mr Nel said - something the defendant denied. |
| Mr Nel also suggested Mr Pistorius was only concerned about himself during the couple's three-month relationship. | Mr Nel also suggested Mr Pistorius was only concerned about himself during the couple's three-month relationship. |
| "It was all about you, Mr Pistorius," he said, repeatedly. | "It was all about you, Mr Pistorius," he said, repeatedly. |
| The double amputee faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model. | The double amputee faces life imprisonment if convicted of murdering the 29-year-old model. |
| If he is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive up to 15 years in prison. | If he is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive up to 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. |