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Prosecutor Targets Pistorius’s Account of Safety Fears Prosecutor Targets Pistorius’s Account of Safety Fears
(about 1 hour later)
The South African athlete Oscar Pistorius appeared flustered, agitated and tired on Friday during a third day of cross-examination by a relentless prosecutor who accused him of shooting his terrified girlfriend in the head during an argument. The South African athlete Oscar Pistorius appeared flustered, agitated and tired at his murder trial on Friday during a third day of cross-examination by a relentless prosecutor who accused him of shooting his terrified girlfriend in the head during an argument.
From the beginning of the trial, much of which has been televised, Mr. Pistorius has insisted that he shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, 29, four times through a locked bathroom door, mistaking her for an intruder. From the beginning of the trial, much of which has been televised, Mr. Pistorius has insisted that he shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, 29, four times through a locked bathroom door in his home because he mistook her for an intruder.
On Friday, Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor whose nickname is the Pit Bull, ripped apart Mr. Pistorius’s account of events, at times reducing him to tears and prompting the double-amputee track star to apologize to the judge for contradicting himself. On Friday, Gerrie Nel, a prosecutor nicknamed the Pit Bull for his courtroom tactics, ripped apart Mr. Pistorius’s account of events, at times reducing him to tears and prompting him to apologize to the judge for contradicting himself.
In one exchange in the Pretoria, South Africa, courtroom, Mr. Nel said it defied comprehension that Ms. Steenkamp had not screamed, as Mr. Pistorius asserted, when he shot her in the head. He also said that if Mr. Pistorius had truly feared an intruder, then it was inconceivable that he would not have checked to make sure that Ms. Steenkamp was safe before drawing his gun. He accused Mr. Pistorius of killing Ms. Steenkamp, a law graduate and budding reality television star, in a murderous rage. In one exchange in the courtroom in Pretoria, South Africa, Mr. Nel said it defied comprehension that Ms. Steenkamp had not screamed, as Mr. Pistorius asserted, when he shot her in the head. He also said that if Mr. Pistorius had truly feared an intruder, then it was inconceivable that he would not have checked to make sure that Ms. Steenkamp was safe before drawing his gun. He accused Mr. Pistorius of killing Ms. Steenkamp, a law school graduate and budding reality television star, in a murderous rage.
“She was standing there talking to you when you shot her in the head,” Mr. Nell said. “She was scared of you. She wasn’t scared of an intruder.” “She was standing there talking to you when you shot her in the head,” Mr. Nel said. “She was scared of you. She wasn’t scared of an intruder.”
He added, “You shot at her knowing she was behind that door.”He added, “You shot at her knowing she was behind that door.”
Mr. Nel asked why an intruder would break into Mr. Pistorius’s home and then lock himself in a bathroom. He questioned why Mr. Pistorius had not just run out of his bedroom — the closest route to safety — but instead had run toward danger, wielding a loaded gun.Mr. Nel asked why an intruder would break into Mr. Pistorius’s home and then lock himself in a bathroom. He questioned why Mr. Pistorius had not just run out of his bedroom — the closest route to safety — but instead had run toward danger, wielding a loaded gun.
“I didn’t want to take anyone’s life,” Mr. Pistorius said. “I was never ready to shoot. I was trying to see what was happening in my home.”“I didn’t want to take anyone’s life,” Mr. Pistorius said. “I was never ready to shoot. I was trying to see what was happening in my home.”
“If you stayed in that room, Reeva would have been alive,” Mr. Nel replied. “I am testing you on a version that isn’t true.”“If you stayed in that room, Reeva would have been alive,” Mr. Nel replied. “I am testing you on a version that isn’t true.”
The prosecutor also asked how it was possible that Mr. Pistorius had heard the sound of a window sliding open — his stated reason for fearing a burglar was in the house, which prompted him to grab a gun — when he was standing near loud ventilation fans. The prosecutor also asked how it was possible that Mr. Pistorius had heard the sound of a window sliding open — his stated reason for fearing that a burglar was in the house, which prompted him to grab a gun — when he was standing near loud ventilation fans.
The trial has offered two starkly different portrayals of the defendant. In the defense’s account, Mr. Pistorius, 27, is a love-struck boyfriend who accidentally shot Ms. Steenkamp. But prosecutors have presented Mr. Pistorius as a trigger-happy, self-obsessed bully who killed Ms. Steenkamp and then constructed an elaborate cover-up. The trial has offered two starkly different portrayals of the defendant. In the defense’s account, Mr. Pistorius, 27, is a love-struck boyfriend who accidentally shot Ms. Steenkamp. But prosecutors have presented Mr. Pistorius, a double-amputee Paralympian, as a trigger-happy, self-obsessed bully who killed Ms. Steenkamp and then constructed an elaborate cover-up.
Mr. Pistorius’s defense team has argued that he felt vulnerable after having been the victim of a series of crimes, including burglaries at his home and an assault. But on Friday, Mr. Nel pressed Mr. Pistorius to explain why he had never reported the crimes to the police. Mr. Pistorius’s defense team has argued that he felt vulnerable after having been the victim of a series of crimes, including burglaries at his home and an assault. But on Friday, Mr. Nel pressed Mr. Pistorius to explain why he had never reported those crimes to the police.
The prosecutor told the court that the exclusive gated community in Pretoria where Mr. Pistorius lived had bolstered security measures not long before the night of the shooting, and noted that Mr. Pistorius had felt so secure there that he had left his two cars parked outside. The prosecutor told the court that the exclusive gated community in Pretoria where Mr. Pistorius lived had bolstered security measures not long before the night of the shooting, Feb. 14, 2013, and noted that Mr. Pistorius had felt so secure there that he had left his two cars parked outside.
Mr. Nel rattled Mr. Pistorius when he asked him about his home security measures. The defendant said that he had activated the alarm system the night of the shooting, even as he was concerned that workers might have removed security beacons. Mr. Nel asked why he had not mentioned this earlier. Mr. Nel rattled Mr. Pistorius when he asked him about his home security measures. The defendant said that had activated the alarm system the night of the shooting, even as he was concerned that workers might have removed security beacons. Mr. Nel asked why he had not mentioned this earlier.
“You are tailoring your evidence,” he said. “You are in trouble, and you just give an explanation that’s nonsense.”“You are tailoring your evidence,” he said. “You are in trouble, and you just give an explanation that’s nonsense.”
“I think you are trying to cover up for lies,” Mr. Nel said.“I think you are trying to cover up for lies,” Mr. Nel said.
Mr. Pistorius told Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa, “I’m tired, my lady,” after which the judge asked if he was too exhausted to proceed. “If you are tired, and you are making mistakes because you are tired, you must say so,” she said. Mr. Pistorius replied that he wanted to continue. After Mr. Pistorius told Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa that he was tired, she asked if he was too exhausted to proceed. “If you are tired, and you are making mistakes because you are tired, you must say so,” she said. Mr. Pistorius replied that he wanted to continue.
Mr. Pistorius testified that he was once shot at while driving on a highway, seeing a muzzle flash and hearing a bang. But Mr. Nel challenged the account, asking the defendant why he had not called the police to report the crime. Mr. Pistorius said that he had not done so because he did not think the police would do anything about it. Mr. Pistorius testified that he was once shot at while driving on a highway, and saw a muzzle flash and heard a bang. But Mr. Nel challenged the account, asking him why he had not reported the episode. Mr. Pistorius said he had not done so because he did not think that the police would do anything about it.
Mr. Nel has, at times, induced gasps in court with his tactics, including showing a graphic image of Ms. Steenkamp’s bloodied head, with parts of her brain pouring out.Mr. Nel has, at times, induced gasps in court with his tactics, including showing a graphic image of Ms. Steenkamp’s bloodied head, with parts of her brain pouring out.
On Friday, Judge Masipa warned Mr. Nel not to berate Mr. Pistorius. “Mind your language,” she said. “You don’t call a witness a liar while he is in the witness box.”On Friday, Judge Masipa warned Mr. Nel not to berate Mr. Pistorius. “Mind your language,” she said. “You don’t call a witness a liar while he is in the witness box.”