Prosecutor: Pistorius is ‘appalling witness’
9 Aug 2014 5:16 AM IST
Oscar Pistorius was an ‘appalling witness’ who repeatedly lied in his testimony in a crude attempt to defend against a murder charge for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, the chief prosecutor said on Thursday during closing arguments in the athlete’s trial.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel also harshly criticised the legal team of the double-amputee athlete, saying it floated more than one theory about what happened on the night that Pistorius shot Steenkamp through a closed toilet door in his home. Defense lawyers, Nel said, had argued that Pistorius acted in self-defense, fearing an intruder was in the house, but also raised the possibility that he was not criminally responsible, accidentally shooting Steenkamp because he was ‘startled.’
‘It’s two defenses that you can never reconcile,’ Nel said as Pistorius sat behind him in the dock. The once-celebrated athlete appeared calm, in contrast to some past occasions during which he retched and wailed in apparent distress.
The fathers of the Olympic runner and Steenkamp, a model and television personality, were in the Pretoria courthouse for the first time since the trial began in early March. They sat at opposite ends of a long bench in the gallery. Pistorius is said to be estranged from his father, Henke, and Steenkamp’s father, Barry, has been ill.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel also harshly criticised the legal team of the double-amputee athlete, saying it floated more than one theory about what happened on the night that Pistorius shot Steenkamp through a closed toilet door in his home. Defense lawyers, Nel said, had argued that Pistorius acted in self-defense, fearing an intruder was in the house, but also raised the possibility that he was not criminally responsible, accidentally shooting Steenkamp because he was ‘startled.’
‘It’s two defenses that you can never reconcile,’ Nel said as Pistorius sat behind him in the dock. The once-celebrated athlete appeared calm, in contrast to some past occasions during which he retched and wailed in apparent distress.
The fathers of the Olympic runner and Steenkamp, a model and television personality, were in the Pretoria courthouse for the first time since the trial began in early March. They sat at opposite ends of a long bench in the gallery. Pistorius is said to be estranged from his father, Henke, and Steenkamp’s father, Barry, has been ill.
Next Story
