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Oscar Pistorius 'broken' after shooting Reeva Steenkamp | |
(35 minutes later) | |
South African athlete Oscar Pistorius "was broken" after shooting his girlfriend, his neighbour has said, as the murder trial resumed after a two-week break. | |
Johan Stander was the first person the athlete called after shooting Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year. | |
The South African Olympic sprinter denies intentionally killing her. | |
He says he shot through a toilet door while in a state of panic, fearing there was an intruder in his house. | |
The trial was adjourned on 17 April for an Easter break after Mr Pistorius and two expert witnesses had given evidence for the defence. | The trial was adjourned on 17 April for an Easter break after Mr Pistorius and two expert witnesses had given evidence for the defence. |
The BBC's Pumza Fihlani at court in the capital, Pretoria, says the athlete is wearing a black suit, black tie and crisp white shirt, black glasses and has had his hair cut. | |
The athlete has a pen in hand and is listening intently to his neighbour, she says. | |
Mr Stander, who lives about 350 metres from Mr Pistorius said he received a call at 03.18 on 14 February 2013. | |
He said the athlete told him: "I shot Reeva. I thought she was an intruder, please come quick." | |
Mr Stander said that when he and his family arrived, they saw Mr Pistorius coming downstairs with Ms Steenkamp in his arms. | |
"I could see she had a head-wound," Mr Stander said. | |
"He was broken. He was screaming, he was crying, he was praying," he said. | |
"He asked us to assist him to take her to hospital." | |
Before the Easter break, the athlete faced several days of cross-examination from the state prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who accused him of using emotional outbursts "as an escape". | |
As well as neighbours, the athlete's defence team is expected to call on a ballistics expert. | |
A psychologist is also set to be called to speak about Mr Pistorius' disability and his acute sense of vulnerability. | |
The prosecution has sought to show a pattern of reckless behaviour by the athlete and has argued that a reasonable man would have checked before firing four bullets through a locked door. | The prosecution has sought to show a pattern of reckless behaviour by the athlete and has argued that a reasonable man would have checked before firing four bullets through a locked door. |
If found guilty, the 27-year-old - a national sporting hero and double amputee dubbed the "blade runner" because of the prosthetic limbs he wears to race - could face life imprisonment. | If found guilty, the 27-year-old - a national sporting hero and double amputee dubbed the "blade runner" because of the prosthetic limbs he wears to race - could face life imprisonment. |
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 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. |