BEIJING, Feb. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Oscar Pistorius, nicknamed “Blade Runner”, sobbed in court after Reeva Steenkamp on Feb. 14 at his Pretoria home.
At Pretoria Magistrates Court, Gerrie Nel, one of the National Prosecuting Authority’s most senior advocates, said Friday he would argue that Pistorius committed “premeditated murder” of his girlfriend.
Under South African law, a murder suspect could be granted bail unless exceptional circumstances were found.
Pistorius’ family and management company released a statement dismissing the charge that he murdered Stenmkamp, saying “The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms” and “Pistorius would like to send his deepest sympathies to the family of Reeva”.
“Pistorius was in an ‘extremely traumatized state of mind’”, said his defense lawyer.
Police said Steenkamp was found shot dead in Pistorius’ home in the early hours of Valentine’s Day.
She had been shot four times through a bathroom door and had been hit in the hand, the pelvis, the chest and the head, according to the Afrikaans newspaper Die Beeldt.
Initial reports of the shooting showed that Pistorius may have mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder.
And Under South African law, a person who kills an intruder has to prove that the intrude poses a real threat to his or her life.
Pistorius, born with a fibula in both legs, was revered in South Africa for being a world-class Paralympian sprinter, collecting two Paralympic gold medals and two silvers and breaking two world records and one Paralympic record in the London Games last year.
And Steenkamp was a rising star in South Africa.
Related:
Blade Runner appears in court to face murder charges
PRETORIA, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, known as the Blade Runner, appeared at the Pretoria Magistrate's Court Friday morning to face charges of murdering his girlfriend. Full Story
Related Photoes:
"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius from public view
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