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| Oscar Pistorius trial: Some witnesses 'refused to testify' | Oscar Pistorius trial: Some witnesses 'refused to testify' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Some witnesses refused to testify at the televised trial of Oscar Pistorius because of the publicity, the South African athlete's lawyer has said. | Some witnesses refused to testify at the televised trial of Oscar Pistorius because of the publicity, the South African athlete's lawyer has said. |
| They did not want "their voices all over the world", Barry Roux told the court as his team ended its case. | They did not want "their voices all over the world", Barry Roux told the court as his team ended its case. |
| The court has now adjourned until 7 August for closing arguments. | The court has now adjourned until 7 August for closing arguments. |
| The Olympic runner denies intentionally killing his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year, saying he mistook her for an intruder. | The Olympic runner denies intentionally killing his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year, saying he mistook her for an intruder. |
| The prosecution accuses the double amputee of deliberately shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp after the pair had an argument. | The prosecution accuses the double amputee of deliberately shooting dead Reeva Steenkamp after the pair had an argument. |
| The trial, which began on 3 March, is the first in South Africa to be broadcast live on TV and has attracted intense global attention. | |
| Mr Roux said the defence, which began its presentation on 28 March, had no more witnesses to call. | Mr Roux said the defence, which began its presentation on 28 March, had no more witnesses to call. |
| He said he had chosen not to ask Judge Thokozile Masipa to make them appear, the Associated Press news agency reports. | He said he had chosen not to ask Judge Thokozile Masipa to make them appear, the Associated Press news agency reports. |
| "There's nothing that we can do about it,'' he said. | "There's nothing that we can do about it,'' he said. |
| He did not name the witnesses who had refused to testify. | He did not name the witnesses who had refused to testify. |
| What happens next? | |
| • Prosecution to file its written argument to the judge by 30 July | |
| • Defence to file its written argument by 4 August | |
| • Trial resumes on 7 August to hear the final presentations from both legal teams | |
| • Trial will then adjourn to allow the judge and her assessors to consider their verdict | |
| There are no juries at trials in South Africa, so the athlete's fate will be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors. | There are no juries at trials in South Africa, so the athlete's fate will be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors. |
| Both the prosecution and defence teams must submit their written arguments Judge Masipa before the trial resumes in August. | |
| She warned that these documents should not be leaked before the arguments were put forward in court. | |
| If found guilty of murder, the 27-year-old, who went on trial on 3 March, could face life imprisonment. | If found guilty of murder, the 27-year-old, who went on trial on 3 March, could face life imprisonment. |
| If he is acquitted of that charge, the court will consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could - if convicted - receive about 15 years in prison. | If he is acquitted of that charge, the court will consider an alternative charge of culpable homicide, for which he could - if convicted - receive about 15 years in prison. |