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 4 | Version 5 |
---|---|
Oscar Pistorius on defensive over alarm | Oscar Pistorius on defensive over alarm |
(35 minutes later) | |
Prosecutors have pressed South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius to clarify his claim that his home alarm was switched off the night he shot his girlfriend. | Prosecutors have pressed South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius to clarify his claim that his home alarm was switched off the night he shot his girlfriend. |
Mr Pistorius initially said his alarm "must have been switched off", but in court was more certain, saying: "I turned the alarm off." | Mr Pistorius initially said his alarm "must have been switched off", but in court was more certain, saying: "I turned the alarm off." |
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accused him of lying, but the Olympic athlete blamed tiredness for the discrepancies. | Prosecutor Gerrie Nel accused him of lying, but the Olympic athlete blamed tiredness for the discrepancies. |
Mr Pistorius, 27, admits killing Reeva Steenkamp but says it was an accident. | Mr Pistorius, 27, admits killing Reeva Steenkamp but says it was an accident. |
The sprinter has insisted in court in Pretoria that he shot Ms Steenkamp on 14 February last year after mistaking her for an intruder. | The sprinter has insisted in court in Pretoria that he shot Ms Steenkamp on 14 February last year after mistaking her for an intruder. |
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?" | 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 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. | 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. |
'Fixated' on intruder | |
Mr Nel repeated a line of attack he had used on Thursday, testing Mr Pistorius' version of events, and accusing him of lying. | |
Mr Pistorius told the court he had heard a window opening and closing, and had immediately got out of bed and grabbed his gun. | |
"I told Reeva to get down and phone the police," he said. | |
Mr Nel asked if he had not looked at Ms Steenkamp, or asked if she had heard the noise. | |
"On the morning of the 14th I was sure of what I heard," he said. | |
"My whole being was fixated on this person that I thought was in the bathroom." | |
Mr Nel went on to show the court photographs from the bedroom that he said contradicted Mr Pistorius' account of where various items were. | |
In a similar line of questioning on Thursday, Mr Nel had raised items including electric cooling fans and a duvet. On Friday, the prosecutor focused on a pair of jeans that were on top of a duvet. | |
The prosecution says Mr Pistorius shot his girlfriend after they had an argument in the bedroom. | |
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. |