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| Oscar Pistorius trial: Gerrie Nel resumes cross-examination | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The cross-examination of South African Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has resumed at his murder trial in Pretoria. | |
| The prosecution has been challenging his version of events on the night he shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in February last year. | The prosecution has been challenging his version of events on the night he shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in February last year. |
| The double-amputee runner denies murder, insisting that he mistook Ms Steenkamp for an intruder. | The double-amputee runner denies murder, insisting that he mistook Ms Steenkamp for an intruder. |
| He faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder. | He faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder. |
| On Monday, prosecutor Gerrie Nel suggested the athlete was staging emotional outbursts to mask his difficulty in answering a barrage of probing questions. | On Monday, prosecutor Gerrie Nel suggested the athlete was staging emotional outbursts to mask his difficulty in answering a barrage of probing questions. |
| Judge Thokozile Masipa temporarily halted proceedings on two occasions on Monday after Mr Pistorius broke down sobbing. | Judge Thokozile Masipa temporarily halted proceedings on two occasions on Monday after Mr Pistorius broke down sobbing. |
| Shortly before the case adjourned for the day, Mr Nel said: "You're getting emotional now because you're getting frustrated because your version [of events] is improbable." | Shortly before the case adjourned for the day, Mr Nel said: "You're getting emotional now because you're getting frustrated because your version [of events] is improbable." |
| The prosecutor, known as the "bull terrier" for his fierce style of questioning, then asked: "You're not using your emotional state as an escape, are you?" | The prosecutor, known as the "bull terrier" for his fierce style of questioning, then asked: "You're not using your emotional state as an escape, are you?" |
| Mr Pistorius said he had not been in a "rational frame of mind'' at the time of the shooting. | Mr Pistorius said he had not been in a "rational frame of mind'' at the time of the shooting. |
| Earlier, Mr Nel again pressed Mr Pistorius on the moment he shot Ms Steenkamp. | Earlier, Mr Nel again pressed Mr Pistorius on the moment he shot Ms Steenkamp. |
| The athlete insisted he had not intended to kill anyone, saying: "I fired out of fear." | The athlete insisted he had not intended to kill anyone, saying: "I fired out of fear." |
| Mr Nel then said Mr Pistorius was changing his story from self-defence to saying he shot by accident. | Mr Nel then said Mr Pistorius was changing his story from self-defence to saying he shot by accident. |
| The prosecutor said this was because the truth was: "You fired at Reeva." | The prosecutor said this was because the truth was: "You fired at Reeva." |
| "It's not true," Mr Pistorius replied, bursting into tears and prompting the court to adjourn briefly. | "It's not true," Mr Pistorius replied, bursting into tears and prompting the court to adjourn briefly. |
| Mr Pistorius said he and Ms Steenkamp had spent a quiet evening together before he woke up on hearing a noise in the bathroom. | Mr Pistorius said he and Ms Steenkamp had spent a quiet evening together before he woke up on hearing a noise in the bathroom. |
| Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream, but the defence disputes their testimony. | Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream, but the defence disputes their testimony. |
| If Mr Pistorius is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive about 15 years in prison. | If Mr Pistorius is acquitted of murder, the court must consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could receive about 15 years in prison. |
| He also faces charges of illegally firing a gun in public and of illegally possessing ammunition, both of which he denies. | He 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 be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors. | There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors. |
| Oscar Pistorius is known as the "Blade Runner" because of the carbon-fibre prosthetics he uses on the track. | Oscar Pistorius is known as the "Blade Runner" because of the carbon-fibre prosthetics he uses on the track. |