South African athlete Oscar Pistorius
is due to reappear at Pretoria magistrates' court over the killing of his
girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The prosecution is expected to serve the athlete with an indictment for the
premeditated murder of his girlfriend. A trial date will also be set.
Mr Pistorius, 26, denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp, saying he shot her after mistaking her for an intruder. He was granted bail in February and has since resumed some low-key training. The double amputee won gold at the London 2012 Paralympic Games and also competed at the Olympics.
His arrest in February stunned many South Africans who saw him as a national sporting hero after his long legal battle to be able to take part in the Olympics. State prosecutors are arguing that the killing was premeditated, a charge which carries a sentence of life imprisonment. They say he killed Ms Steenkamp intentionally after a fight.
But Mr Pistorius denies committing murder, claiming he shot his girlfriend through the bathroom door of his upmarket house in Pretoria after mistaking her for a burglar. The prosecution is expected to hand over details of its case against Mr Pistorius at Monday's hearing, including a witness list and forensic reports. Much depends on ballistic evidence from the bathroom where Ms Steenkamp was shot.
Reeva Steenkamp, 29, was shot dead in the early hours
of Valentine's Day this year
South African newspapers have reported that at least some of that forensic evidence appears to back up Mr Pistorius's version of events, he continues. However, the prosecution is expected to call witnesses who will say the Olympic runner was preoccupied with guns, and had been arguing with his girlfriend. Prosecutors told the Associated Press news agency that additional charges might be added to the indictment but did not offer any details.
Last week, the police wrapped up their six-month investigation into Ms Steenkamp's killing.
"The South African Police Service is hopeful that justice will prevail," a statement from the office of South Africa's national police commissioner read.
In June, Oscar Pistorius resumed "low-key" training as a way to help him "process the trauma", a statement on his website read. Mr Pistorius was freed on a bail of R1million (£74,000; $110,000). A court in March eased his travel restrictions, allowing him to leave South Africa to compete as long as he complied with certain conditions.
Jeannie,
ReplyDeletePistorius's story makes no sense. It was too dark for him to see anything but he managed to put his legs on and find his gun? Also I would imagine that she screamed after the first shot.
Oscar had the world as his oyster, and then threw it all away with a bullet.
Drugs were found in Oscar's house after the murder, the sports enhancing hormone drugs that cause uncontrolable anger rages when being used. The drugs cause damage to many parts of the body too.
This guy had it all going his way... but then grace was not in his makeup, he was and is a vicious waste, and if the corrupt system there lets him walk....an expression, hop, he will skid everywhere else, for like OJ Simpson he will be scorned everywhere he goes, he killed a beautiful woman in a fit of rage.
Here was a man who inspired so many. He was a national hero, running in the Olympics on prosthetics. Wow, I admired him. But now, I am disappointed and angry. He let so many people down including himself, South Africa, his late girlfriend, her family and so many more. What is wrong with you Oscar? You will have to face the punishment the criminal justice system gives you.
What do we really know about the human psyche when someone who has had the courage to overcome such adversity can commit such a cowardly act?
Just my humble opinion
Greetings your humbleness,
ReplyDeleteThe prosecutors suggested that he deliberately put on his legs before the shooting.
The defence maintains otherwise and has reportedly been supported by ballistic results on the bullets' trajectory angles in the bathroom door, which appear to show that he was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he fired the bullets.
The results seem to support his statement that he raced down the corridor on his stumps when he thought he heard an intruder.
Several of the state witnesses heard a woman scream, followed by moments of silence, then heard gunshots and then more screaming. Many of his neighbours at the Pretoria housing estate are among the witnesses.
At his bail hearing, when he gave a written version of what happened, he did not mention any screams by his girlfriend.
I reckon he threatened her with a a gun...she screamed and ran in the bathroom and locked the door. He stumped down the hall after her then just blasted through the door.
If the trial fails to prove that Pistorius knew he was shooting Reeva, surly the prosecutors could still argue that he is guilty of murder, since they could prove that he sought to kill someone in the bathroom, regardless of who it was. He shot with the intention to kill a human being. Would that hold up Gil??
Prosecutors have gathered enough evidence to charge him with, at the very least, reckless use of a firearm. There were two earlier incidents in which he fired a pistol in a car and at a restaurant. He is, apparently, prone to violent outbursts, which supports what you say about the performance enhancing drugs.
Surly they can nail him with something. It's just not right that he may walk away (not a pun) from it all. He's guilty as sin like OJ and people will treat him like a pariah for the rest of his life.
I'm not so sure he was driven by courage. His psyche may have always been imbalanced. He could have been driven by anger or by the need to get his father's approval. From what I have read of Pistorius' background his father was a very hard man, tough on his kids and impossible to please.
At his latest appearance in court, Pistorious spent the whole time praying and crying. What a hypocrite. Everything he inspired and everything he achieved is just ashes now.
Geez Louise! I sure do ramble on