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Subscribe to RSSIn the second day of Oscar Pistorius' bond hearing regarding the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, the Olympian described in detail what happened the night of her shooting. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports and former prosecutor Star Jones discusses the case.
PRETORIA, South Africa -- Defense lawyers exposed apparent weaknesses in the police evidence against Oscar Pistorius Wednesday as a court heard more dramatic details of the night he fatally shot his girlfriend.
The Olympic and Paralympic athlete stared fixedly at the floor, sobbing occasionally, as a senior investigator described the scene when officers arrived at his home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's Day.
Pistorius wore a black suit and blue tie on the second day of a hearing that will decide whether he would be bailed over charges that the shooting of 29-year-old law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp was premeditated.
Dubbed the "Blade Runner," Pistorius maintains he fired into his locked bathroom in a panic over a possible prowler. However, prosecutors say he put on his artificial legs and stalked Steenkamp to the bathroom to kill her.
Warrant Officer Hilton Botha, an experienced detective, testified that a witness heard shouting for an hour coming from the house shortly before the shooting.
Another witness heard gunshots, saw lights on in the house, heard a woman screaming two or three times, then heard another few shots, Botha said.
But under cross-examination, Botha admitted one of the witnesses was 1,000 feet away from the house at the time.
Botha told the court that needles and testosterone were found in the athlete's bedroom.
The double-amputee's defense lawyer Barry Roux disputed that claim, saying the substance was in fact a herbal remedy and that police had misread the label. State prosecutor Gerrie Nel also had to correct Botha when he initially called the substance "steroids."
Botha said Steenkamp's body was clothed and covered in towels, and that one bullet cartridge was discovered in the hallway of Pistorius' home, with three more found in the bathroom. A firearm was found on the shower mat.
The investigator said he wanted to charge Pistorius with possession of unlicensed ammunition, according to Reuters.
None of the phones found at Pistorius' house had been used to call police, Botha said.
Stephane De Sakutin / AFP - Getty Images
The floorplan of Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius' house, shown at a court hearing on Wednesday.
The court heard a discussion about the layout inside of the detached house, in an upmarket, gated compound north of Pretoria.
Botha said the angle at which shots were fired through the door of a locked toilet within Pistorius' en suite bathroom suggested the shooter had aimed specifically to hit somebody on the toilet.
"I believe he knew she was in the bathroom," Botha said.
The downward trajectory of the shots suggests Pistorius was wearing his artificial legs when he pulled the trigger, he added.
However, there were gasps from Pistorius' family as Botha struggled to answer questions under cross-examination. Two female relatives glanced at each other and smiled.
The defense said Steenkamp’s bladder was empty, consistent with having gone to the toilet, as claimed by Pistorius.
It also emerged that Botha had prior dealings with Pistorius, having attended a 2009 incident at the house at which the athlete was arrested but not charged.
There was laughter in the courtroom as Botha insisted there was a risk Pistorius would flee if given bail, despite skepticism from magistrate, Desmond Nair.
As Wednesday's session closed, Pistorius seemed composed. The hearing resumes Thursday, but is expected to conclude by the end of the week.
On the first day of the hearing, prosecutors and the defense presented clashing accounts of how and why Pistorius shot Steenkamp.
A court statement from Pistorius denied "in the strongest terms" that he had deliberately killed Steenkamp, adding that the athlete was "deeply in love'' with her, according to Reuters.
"I had no intention to kill my girlfriend," the statement said.
Pistorius has hired his own high-profile forensic expert to analyze the police reports and post-mortem exam, South Africa news station ENCA reported.
His defense team includes lawyer Kenny Oldwage, who previously won an acquittal for a driver accused of killing Nelson Mandela's great-grandchild in a 2010 accident.
NBC News' Tracy Connor and Reuters contributed to this report.
Related:
Pistorius: I felt 'sense of terror' on night I mistakenly shot girlfriend
Sportscaster: Pistorius was 'jumpy' about safety
Mother of Pistorius' slain girlfriend: 'Why my little girl?'
This story was originally published on Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:34 AM EST
Leave a Comment:
He probably does have a very bad temper. I can't vouch for all persons will physical disabilities, but the ones that I personally know can be down right mean and vicious when they things don't go their way.
He should quit being a coward and do the honerable thing, put a bullet in his brain. Save the families all the greif
why would a 30 year old law school graduate(if true, she would have some degree of intelligence/rationality)even go to his house much less be in bed with him if he is abusive towards her or if she wants to dump him, that is beyond ridiculous and quite ignorant to assume she is that stupid or lowdown?
Yeah, Terri, it's totally her fault for being there. She's the first person in the history of new relationships to make that mistake.
Pistorius comes off like a paranoid, shoot first and ask questions later person. He chose to live in a dangerous neighborhood. He had plenty of security at his house. Who did he think was in his bathroom...someone who stopped by to take a pee or a dump? He shot through a closed door. When his first shot hit the mark, was there no reaction from the person he hit? Did he shout a warning?
If he grabbed the gun to "protect" himself and Reeva...wouldn't it make sense to check on Reeva FIRST?!?!? How did he even get out of bed and not notice she wasn't beside him? One last question...when he called out to the "intruder" how come she (Reeva) didn't respond and say "hey honey..it's just me"???...just a couple of questions that I'd love to hear the answer to...
If there are any "cracks" in this story, they are the gaping holes in the incredible defense fabrication designed to cover-up a premeditated murder and free a cold-blooded, high-profile misogynist and liar. Wouldn't be surprised if the defense is joined by OJ's lawyers who have a track record of allowing high-profile athletes to get away with murdering the women they first abuse.
Thank God for not having to live in South Africa under such a corrupt judicial system!
A witness hears shouting and screams "immediately before" the gun fire then Pistorius tells the police that he thought he was shooting an intruder in his home? If anyone swallows that there's some valuable swamp land I want to sell you! Further, if the screams were heard by a witness it's ludicrous to think Pistorius would not have recognized those screams as those of his girl friend.
Note: Also, so much for myth of Pistorius's "great" athletic talents: It's obvious that he's been pulling the same athletic scam the bicyclist Armstrong has by using tostosterone to boost his performance levels. With enough of that juice anyone can reach a finish line first.
It's patently obvious that what they've got on their hands with Pistorius is a full blown psychopath. The only thing that's slowing the legal process is that his father happens to be a hot air millionaire filled with chutzpah and the money to buy the South African court sytem! This guy needs only one thing, a jail sentence in a super max and then the key thrown away!
You would think before you start to shoot through the bathroom door you'd first try a simple "Honey, is that you?" Who breaks into a house to use the bathroom anyway?
Someone who has to go REAL BAD? Just kidding...
There actually have been times where I've had to go so bad the thought crossed my mind!
i dont know many intruders who first take a dump before robbing you blind unless of course the toilet had a flush handle on it made of 18K gold.
He should of killed his attorney instead. He'd have his PYT sitting next to him in court, and there would be one less murderer's attorney in the world.
Nobody is considering the possibility that he thought the intruder was in the bathroom fashioning a weapon out of a roll of toilet paper and an empty shampoo bottle. I know that I for one frequently awake during the night and fire randomly into my bathroom on the off chance that someone might be locked in there planning to assault me with my electric razor. So in his "panic" or "terror" he didn't once think to check to see and see if his girlfriend was still sleeping in the bed next to him so he could warn her that there was possible an intruder in the house?
That's right, Doc. There might have been an intruder with a weak bladder and an enlarged prostate using the toilet who is insecure about the size of his genitalia, so he locked the door. Most likely he was there to steal the plunger.
he heard what he thought was an intruder when he was on the balcony.
he thought Reeva was still asleep in bed when he heard her in the bathroom.
he had just been in bed with her. Why is that so unbelievable?
She might have gotten up within seconds after he went on the balcony and he did not
realize it.
And he didn't even look in bed to see if she was there? No way. What about the bloody bat and the fact that she was dressed in street clothes when she was shot? No answers for those, do ya?
How do you expect her skull being crushed in? Explain that!
I suspect that someone who is disabled is more concerned about personal safety, just because his ability to fight or take flight is limited by his handicap. I understand there had been a rash of home invasions in the area, which would set anyone's defense reactions into gear.
A lot of you make valid points. The theory that you should shoot first and ask questions later has some validity. What if the burgler or invader has a semi-auto and starts shooting while you are still making inquiries? You could be dead pretty quickly, even if you were armed.
On the other hand, you might also end up shooting your wife, your girlfriend or your child if you are too quick on the trigger.
My conclusion is that there are no easy answers. If someone is breaking into your home, you are angry and frightened. You might not make the best decision, but it will be a decision based on the information you have, reliable or otherwise.
But I would hate to turn on the lights and discover that I had shot my child because he was sneaking in the bedroom window after breaking curfew. It's a tough call, folks. I don't know that I want to judge what someone else should think or do under what might be life-threatening circumstances.
Wrong! Someone has broken into my home. I know what it's like. I did not kill the person. I confronted him and he fled. Quickly.
The easy answer is that Psitorius is a murderer, something he's never denied, and is also human-scum.
He should die.
He had a friend call the police. Friends may testify to his initial shock and remorse during phone calls.
There was proof that her bladder was empty. She possibly went into the bathroom to relieve herself,
She probably woke up when he went onto the balcony. In a panic he rushes from the
balcony, grabs the gun under the bed and shoots into the bathroom, telling
Reeva to call the police. What evidence to refute that explanation?
Why would he tell Reeva twice to call the police, if Reeva was the one he wanted
to shoot? Of course, the whole testimony could be fabricated, but maybe not. Maybe
while on the balcony, he saw the empty window, he saw the worker's ladder, and he
with filled with terror, assuming someone was entering throught the bathroom.
Just the fact that there is an open window and there is a ladder is a little bit of proof.
He might have made a stupid assumption, and thinking Reeva was still in bed or
just then waking up, shot into the bathroom.
It was pitch dark. Why does this story not add up? You have to admit. If it's not true,
it's an incredibly brilliant excuse. It doesn't seem like he could have come up with this
consistent story right away, given his emotional state. You don't go from "roid rage" to
actor with a brilliant excuse in a matter of a couple hours. And you don't hear the prosecutor
saying, "now you're changing you story, you told the police this or that." I don't
even think his lawyer could have come up with this explanation if it weren't true.
So far, what evidence is there against his story?
The neighbor that heard the fighting was 1000 feet away? Are you kidding me?
That is over 330 yards - 3 football fields.
That's the big neighbor argument that we've been thinking was so revealing? What?
The so-called steroid was an herbal drug, testo-something, and the police
said, "oh, I guess we should have read the whole title of the drug."
Is this the keystone cops?
No evidence yet, just speculation. He has an automatic, so he shoots 4-6 times in
about three seconds, so the number of shots doesn't matter.
Oscar has offered an explanation, that if true, makes sense now.
Think about the balcony, think about the gun right there under the bed, easy
to grab in the dark, think about how often you have to pee when you wake up,
think about how you would lock the bathroom door if someone says there is an intruder,
or maybe she locks it out of habit, think about the bat being used to open the door.
If he used the bat on her head, don't you think they might have said her skull or head shows it?
There was blood in the bathroom, so even if there is blood on the bat, it could be from
the gunshot wounds.
For him to be dumb enough to think he can beat her with a bat, shoot her as she is
defenseless in the bathroom, not call for medical help and ask a friend to call (he
probably wouldn't be numb if he murdered her, right?), to go through the act of being
numb, and sob, sob, sob, to say I killed Baba, to not flee the scene, to think that he
will get away with it, to ruin his great reputation, to lose millions of dollars - that is
really, really dumb. Yes, he is dumb either way. But, it's more credible at this point to
believe that he was dumb enough to shoot who he thought was an intruder without
making sure it wasn't his girlfriend. Dumb yes. Heinous, no.
He's lying. he is an egomaniac-cheater who is sobbing because of all the money he's going to lose. He has nailed a lot of women because of his infirmity.
He is pond-scum.
MSN is censoring comments. Some articles they allow comments,others they do not allow comments. WHY MSN?
Pistorius has a blatant disregard for human life. He stated that because he didn't intend to kill his girlfriend it shouldn't be a crime. How absurd! If that were true all murderers would claim they didn't intend to kill the person they killed.
Vehicular manslaughter is a crime whether it's intentional or not. Intent is irrelevant. Pistorius, even by his own admission, intended to kill the intruder. That's a homicide.
GUTTY!
Or rather, GUILTY!
poor guy was afraid , hang him :/
He needs to do a drug screen to prove he isn't 'roiding...and my bet is that he IS using sleeping pills, and that is why he did this.
Well the way I see it there are several big problems with his story. First of all, if I'm in bed and I think I hear an intruder in my house I don't think my lover is laying in bed next to me, I look and make sure. Then I wake her up and have her call the police while I get my gun and go confront the intruder. Then there is the fact that the intruder is in the bathroom. When an intruder breaks into someone's home the last thing they're thinking about doing is going to the bathroom to relieve themselves before they've even determined if there is anyone home or not. Even then any smart burgler isn't going to risk leaving DNA evidence behind. Then there is the claim he was firing a warning shot, people who fire warning shots typically do it once and they fire it up in the air in an effort to avoid accidentally shooting someone they've yet to identify. Also why shoot your home up 4 times when one warning shot would work? You certainly don't fire in a downward direction towards the toilet thru a door where you can't tell who is on the other side of that door. Then there is the notion that you don't fire a gun blindly not knowing who you might be shooting at and/or where they are. Maybe if you're a totally inexperienced gun owner who never practiced for the day you might need to use your gun but certainly not if you are someone who goes to the range regularly to unwind when you can't sleep. His whole defense is just too unbelievable and none of it adds up.
I would have been willing to accept a claim of them having got in a fight and she managed to send him into a blind rage. I wouldn't have let him off scott free but I wouldn't be treating him like a cold blooded calculating murder either. By virtue of him failing to provide a reasonable explaination for his actions he has only made himself into more of a monster then he was already for shooting the woman he supposedly loved thru a closed, locked door while she sat on the toilet on Valentine's day.
He wasn't in bed when he heard the intruder.
He was on the balcony when he heard the intruder and saw
the open window and the ladder.
What cracks in the case? The author of this article is as stupid as Oscar. Of course, it was premeditated. Execute this prima donna nothing, and let us all move on with our lives.
lawyer Barry Roux disputed that claim, saying the substance was in fact a herbal remedy and that police had misread the label.
According to the defense there was no steroids. The cop assumed thats what it was and read the lable wrong. This should be easy to prove or disprove. Were there crime scene photos showing the bottles? Did they collect them as evidence?
What were the syringes for? Is Pissy a diabetic?
Okay, I've never been in a situation where I needed a lawyer, but just for my education can somebody answer me this? Using a hypothetical here, when a defense attorney takes a case, does the defendant actually tell the attorney, "Yes, I killed her" (as opposed to lying to his attorney if he did it), and the attorney then KNOWS this and still tries to prove his client "not guilty" (as opposed to innocent)? Or does the attorney actually believe his client is innocent because the client said so, thus lying to the attorney and hoping his attorney can weave a good defense? If the former instance is true, then what does that say about the lawyer?
I'm not an attorney, but my understanding is that the defense doesn't want to know the answer from the accused, so the question is never asked. The default position if the defendant has not confessed would be a claim of not guilty. The obligation of the defense attorney is to dispute the prosecution and establish they have not proven guilt.
Are there any lawyers on this thread with the time to read all this drivel? If so, I'd hope you're using this time to research another case, and you can use this as billable hours.
No evidence whatsoever of premeditated murder...I see No malice of intent to kill at all. A tragic mistake...maybe even an exceptionally STUPID one, but an accident none the less! I strongly suspect police corruption and mismanaged collection of evidence.
I sure would like to know how she was clothed under the towels, perhaps she was using the bathroom before leaving for good. In any case he,s already been caught in a fatal lie, he never thought about the angle of the bullets when he made up his story of not having his legs on. That is forensic suicide, there's no lying your way out of that! Set and match, guilty as charged!
Even without his legs on, he is taller than a toilet seat.
How short do they think he is?
Yeah , lots of burglars head straight for the toilet , uh-huh ? This so called sports hero's story is so full of holes .. And he had time to get his legs on before killing the "Burglar" ?? Suuuureee ....
Why shoot through the door of the WC ??
What we know now , looks like he doesn't have a leg to stand on , so to speak , just looks bad ..
Maybe if he posts bail , he may skip the country ?
This scum is going to walk, i mean hobble out of court with maybe a 5 year prison term, mark my words. This pretty much sums it up:
"His defense team includes lawyer Kenny Oldwage, who previously won an acquittal for a driver accused of killing Nelson Mandela's great-grandchild in a 2010 accident"
Anyone who believes this guy didnt shoot his girlfriend on purpose is a complete and utter fool. With the "intruder" safely locked in the bathroom, why didnt he simply call the police while standing to the side, covering the bathroom door with his gun? Why didnt he call the police(or at least a friggin ambulance!) after he "realized" he had shot his girlfriend? Why did someone else have to do that? Oh, and if he REALLY thought it was an intruder why did he take the time to put on his "feet" before going to shoot it? This guy is just another celebrity with money who can afford the best liars(sorry-lawyers) to defend him and confuse a jury with his totally made up story.