In 2014 Audrey Brown told the dramatic story of the trial of the athlete Oscar Pistorius After becoming a Paralympics champion, Oscar Pistorius rose to fame as the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics. He became a hero to millions – until the fateful night when he shot dead his girlfriend, the model Reeva Steenkamp. His trial featured high tension and dramatic twists and turns. In often highly emotional testimony, Pistorius tried to convince the court that he shot Reeva Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was a burglar. Prosecuting barrister Gerrie Nel subjected the athlete to merciless cross-examination as he attempted to prove that Pistorius was a man with a love of guns and an uncontrolled temper. This is the story of a trial which gripped the attention of South Africa and the wider world. Picture: Oscar Pistorius leaves North Gauteng High Court on 12 September, 2014 in Pretoria, South Africa, Credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
The Trial of Oscar Pistorius
2023-11-24 | 🔗This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Welcome to the documentary from the BBC world service where we report the world, however difficult the issue, however hard to reach
costs from the BBC world service. I supported by advertising tired
adds barging in to your favorite news, bod, good news:
ad free listening on amazon. Music is included with your prime membership. Just
the amazon dot com, slash ad free news broadcasts to catch up on the latest episode without the ads.
And without an acre shows. Every continent such as we have that we come to the duke
entry from the BBC world service, the former paralympic
Champion Oscar pistorius has been granted parole from jail
seven years after murdering his girlfriend riva stay in camp in twenty forty notary brown
The dramatic story of his trial, his another chance to hear it
you and a half after he shot and killed his girlfriend athlete ascap Asturias stood before a south african court to discover his fate. Mr Pistorius, please tender having regard to the totality of this,
evidence in this matter. The unanimous decision of this court is the following one on count: one made that led the accused is found not guilty and is discharged in said, he's found guilty of culpable homicide.
but how did it come to this? I'm audrey brown and over the next hour I'll be telling
story of the trial of ascap, Asturias time magazine hailed pistorius
as the definition of global inspiration and one of the world's one hundred most influential people, they called him. The blade runner
His face was on a billboard in new york times square.
seemed to be no limit to his glory, which began at the beijing paralympics in
two thousand and eight where he won three gold medals.
watching housekeepers story, as this could be very special. Indeed get. My story is as good as now or in the firing line backing ninety ninety five, the american footballer oj simpsons trial for the murder of these form, a wife
in the era of the twenty four hour new cycle. Nearly twenty years later, the trial of oscar pistorius is certainly a contender for the most war
of this social media, euro, ascap, Asturias,
Inspired a nation and the world in london
he became the first double amputee to compete in the olympic games he reached beyond his physical disability. He was
without fibula in both legs, and they were amputated
LO the knee before he could even walk. He endured the divorce of his parents and the early death of his beloved mother, Sheila and except for a few flashes of temper for which he apologized
immediately. Oscar pistorius was known as a nice guy. There
on the morning of february, the fourteenth twenty thirteen came. The news that shocked the world south african paralympic at olympic athlete, oscar pistorius
facing murder was arrested after his girlfriend was shot dead. Tonight, Mr Pistorius is in a police station, he's been visited, leave the in was a law graduate turned television, pleasanter and model, her beauty and his fame propelled them into the glamorous gossipy rearm
celebrity the couple were in the early stages of their relationship when he killed her in the early hours of valentine's day. They had been together for around three months and according to evidence given by ascap Asturias, he was busy
With her details of the shooting emerged quickly, the shooting happened here early this morning,
pistorius is home on a closely guarded super resisting camp a model had been shot four times in the head and hand with a gun owned by this and spread fast as they became available,
social media uses treated and shared what was being spat out by journalists from all over the world already on higher, led to cover the demise of another south african hero, the ailing aged nelson mandela. The trial of oscar pistorius created a platform from which to
true. South african society still divided along racial lines. Nineteen years after the official end of sanctioned white domination and black oppression,
The so called rainbow nation was praised for the dignity with which that struggle was fought and a constitution that enshrined the dignity and human rights of all. Yet it still had shocking levels of poverty, inequality and violence against women and children.
The trial also seem to expose another fundamental dissonance. This time in pasteur is character. The former chief medical officer for south Africa's paralympic
team. Professor Wayne endearment explained it this way in court.
So on the one hand we ve got an individual who, in able bodied competition, constitutes one of the fifteen to eighteen, fastest people in the world and is one point, eight four metres tool and his pictured
with arms crossing the finishing line. On the other hand, of the spectrum we see an individual who is significantly this. He does not have lower legs, he has stopped and he has done which are problematic at that, and he is one point, five meters, so you ve got a paradox. You ve got a paradox of an individual who is supremely able and you ve got a individual who is significantly different
It was the able looking ascap Asturias, who appeared in court on the day after the shooting. It was a bail hearing by the prosecutor. Harry now argued that the authorities
should deny bail and charge him with premeditated mega, often unprecedented hearing, in which much of the principal evidence was revealed. Pistorius was granted
on stringent conditions. He pleaded not guilty over the next few months. His every move, every gesture every reaction would be reflected, shown, treated and shared immediately and then riga and shared and treated and shown once again.
as for the first time in south africa, a criminal trial was beamed, live and continuously to the world. On a dedicated television channel, the cameras showed the judge, prosecutor, defence lawyers and defendant. Viewers could hear the voices of the witnesses, but they were
on camera, it was in the early days of the trial that a picture began to emerge of what happened on the night of the shooting and the prosecution began. To make its case, my lady, just after three, I woke up
from a woman's database screams first witness
michel burger who,
in the same gated community as us cup Asturias, with her husband, I sat upright in bait and my husband also work from the streams sectors. Gotta go into, some all could, if she's been terribly and he yelled for help. Just after a stranger
my lady, I heard four shots. It was full shot gunshots that I heard another witness
Still fundamental testified that shit
I heard a loud argument an hour earlier. My lady. I woke up around one. Fifty six in the morning I hate sounds it seemed like somebody was involved in a fight on a burglary over
and these people are talking talking in love, voices, morality
lastly, for about an hour,
My lady asked Edith either by these goals are supposed to do. I was supposed to sleep on it. Something interferes in south east asia case polo. On top of my head revolve
falling asleep once more on the money around about
among our aid,
gunshots molly another neighbour doktor. He hunts dip described the scene that greeted him when he entered the house after he, too had heard gunshots, as I approached,
there was a man on his knees on the left side. He had his left hand on the right growing
and he's right ants second or its fingers in the mouth.
And remember the first thing he said when I got there was that he said shutter, I thought she was good.
and at issue in this trial was not whether the athlete had shot travesty income. The issue was his culpability
Prosecutor Harry now argued that he'd shouting in anger. After an argument, defence
a babby rule argued that it killed her by mistake because he thought she was a burglar throughout the trial. The state and the defence called experts and witnesses that contradicted each other
points such as when riva ate her last meal and whether she could have screamed between the gunshots
defence lawyer, bury rule also argued with some success that the police mismanaged the crime scene
the prosecution sought to expose bestower as a different man to the one scene on the track. He faced. Three other charges.
Firing a weapon in a public place and another for the elite
go possession of ammunition. He could get up to five years. What each of the first two charges and up to fifteen for the third charge he's form a girlfriend. Samantha Taylor told the court about an earlier incident when a policeman touched, ascap, Asturias, his gun,
what did he do? He shouted out the policemen, because he
that he was not allowed attach his gun he's a policeman was not allowed the duchess S and after we live there,
our sky and down where her anxious
and a little bit irritated with a policeman about two minutes
after I saw us, go, take his gun and shoots out of the car. It was so
a very, very large sound. What did he say?
they both laughed. That's relationship shouted in now. Finally,
finally at the end
and he cheated on me with rivers to income or scuppers
various and reverse the income appeared to be a golden couple. They
and loving messages via text and what's up, but there was a darker side too,
blossoming romance revealed in
sent by mister camp to the athlete which here
to read out in full in court set on water
it's a show of sitting. Don't talk here, mrs first, but perhaps it says a lot about what's going on here, so
One of my best friends engagements and I want to stay longer and enjoying myself, but it's over now. You have me victim meal insistently, since you got
from cape town, and I understand that you sick with its nasty. Yes, there wasn't.
for either of us, but we managed to push through and communicate well enough to show we can show our care, for
There is greater than the trauma that attacked us. I was not flirting with anyone today. I feel sick that you suggest that and that you made a scene at table and made us leave early
I'm terribly disappointed in the day ended and how you like me,
living in a double standard relationship where you can be mad about how I feel about it.
Mr Wynn you're very quick to cold and office when you're unhappy.
Every five seconds I hear how you dated another chick. You really have dated alot of people, yet you get upset
mention one funny story with the long term boyfriend. I do everything to make you happy and tuna
say anything to rock the boat with you. You do everything to throw tensions in france of people. You have been upset but
I've been upset by you for two days now, I'm so upset to lift our party early serves it. I can't get that day back
I scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me and of how you will react to me to make me happy ninety percents of the time, and I think we are amazing together, I'm the girl who lit
go with you. Even when I was scared out of my mind to go, you fell in love with you
to tell you this week. It is so there
we get sites that sidestepped, when I feel you think when I feel you
you. Have me, sir. Why try anymore? I get snapchat untold
accents and voices are annoying or touch your neck. To show you like it, you told me to stop. Stop chewing gum. Don't do this, don't do this? Don't do
it's from that from the outside. I think it looks like we are a struggle
that's what we are just want to love and beloved be happy.
Make someone syrupy. Maybe we can do that for each other.
He's right now, you're happy and I certainly very unhappy and said
right from the very start of the trial. Ascap Asturias sat with his head bowed
a somber side, looking figure and he reacted viscerally to testimony from the witness box. He cried. He convulsed he fled
All these gestures was shown shared and speculated upon, but
Most extreme reaction was when he reached into a green bucket as image
of rivers. Dead body was shown. These
it was soon disturbing that the pathologist sir
the law and ethical considerations refused to have them broadcast outside the courtroom. Judge must sipa agreed absolutely. As of now I can give the order.
That there be no. There shall be no broadcasts of the evidence of mrs Simon. That applies to treat her, I hope of making that require the gene
Just handling of the trial was in the spotlight judge. Tug Mozilla Matilda must super had
leah careers as a social worker and crime report. There she became the second
black woman to be made a judge in south africa in ninety ninety eight and is current
the second most senior female judge in the country. In her.
Gown, and neatly cornfield hair. She, along with her two assesses, represent the face of justice in south africa,
the jury system was grabbed in south africa in the late nineteen sixties and assesses highly trained advocates and former magistrates for the most part I used to help the judge
says the facts: they play a role in the verdict and can overrule the judge, but they do not play a role in sentencing in the course of the case, judge must be by revealed herself to be compassionate, but Chris.
stopping proceedings at various times to allow the defendant time to recover his composure at one stage. She adjourned court early remarking that he looked very tired,
Well, it doesn't look exhausted. He does sound, exhausted,
until tomorrow. Ninety that Moscow pursue it is a state of mind
and during the trial was much remarked upon and many
watching, seized on every preached and rich as a sign of his guilt or innocence, but it is his
to my mind, leading up to the killing that he used to determine culpability in law. The prosecution try to portray Asturias as a gun, crazy narcissist through this
the other charges relating to possession of illegal ammunition and discharge.
A firearm in a public place,
made sure that judge new pistorius was aware of the law on guns, as firearms expert shorn, patrick rents made clear when prosecutor fairy now called him to the witness box question about this for safety rules. In order to order of importance. The accused answer that question answered answered correctly, pour into the safe, safe direction, keep keep your fingers.
always treat a firearm as if it's loaded and always know your target and what lies behind us cup, Asturias had shot several times through the door to his bathroom. The prosecution argued that riva stand. Camp was his target and
but he knew it was her standing behind that door. Nels question to police, ballistics, exe
at chrisman Ghana
Where was riva when the first a bullet hit her, what was the position of those
in terms of the dormer lady, she was standing in front of the door facing the door and into reconstruction whether or not the cavalry penetrated and broke. Then he bought the deceased. Now, with this will be the bullies, the hip bone is broken completely. It causes her to fall down from this, because this leg will never be will not be able to to to standard you're going you're. So your opinion is fire. The bullet out of the infliction of the wind, a what happened to that things. Have that infliction of a wound, but the wound on the hip. She fell down. On top of a magazine that in a seated position would at all, but that would penetrate that don't put at all must be last shot and the bullet missed it
who would have absolutely determined reach one spot festival between us, but let the last, but in this instance, that decision was most probably seated in a defensive position. Up to now, we ve heard how pistorius fired four shots through a closed door. In spite of the rules of fire safety witnesses said they heard a woman's terrible's.
Means after raised voices in the middle of the night and the defence and prosecution,
hassled over how far apart those screams were between the first shot and the next three one of pistorius, as ex girlfriend testified that he'd.
Why slogan her gunning hand fearing that they were
intruders in his home,
but only one person alive knows what really happened that night served as they do. For me, that is still in its call for serious evidence about salaries arriving
We got on April the seventh day. Sixteen of the trial oscar Asturias, took the stand monday homage is peace
start off with my evidence, but hindering an apology. Where is he?
gee that you want a tender mysteries? I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to mrs amidst since soon see, leave is firmly,
those of you here today, I'd like to apologize,
So it is not a moment and hasn't been a moment since
since this tragedy happen- that I haven't thought about firmly
every morning, the first people think of those people are prey for our continent.
The pain and the sorrow in the intervals. Of course, you and your family. I was simply trying to protect riga
I can promise that when she went to bed that night, she felt loved, reverse mother june sat expressionless in court every day, flanked by prominent leaders of the women's league of the governing african national congress. The death of her daughter had become cause the lab for campaigners trying to stop violence against women. Up to now the face of a bat,
women in south Africa was that of a black woman. The dunes comes composure was striking, especially when juxtaposed with the defendants, extreme emotional distress
so upset did pistorius become at various times that he's lost
a burial asked for an adjournment ma.
Then once in the course of the trial when we return, oscar tourists present his side of the story.
Did he kill a scared and cowering woman in the heat of an argument
cuba, you shot and killed it. Where did to take responsibility for that all was he afraid vulnerable on his painful stumps,
as he fired full shots into a locked bathroom door. The first thing that-
To my mind, is that are needed to myself that are needed to protect me
I need to get my gun- was scared at the first
He's gonna come out to people were going to come out of that point picture the scene,
you're twelve years old, a talented ice hockey player, but despite your skill on the rink, none now to compete at the highest level of sport, the reason europe
amazing sport stories from the BBC world service, tells the story of justine blame.
Girl who fought to change the rules round, mix sex ice hockey, teams on terrio canada? Listen now by searching for amazing sport stories wherever you get your baby
podcasts.
Tired,
Adds barging in to your favorite news broadcasts, good news
free listening on amazon music is included with your prime membership. Just
The amazon dot com, slash ad free news broadcasts to catch up on the latest episode without the ads.
and without an acre, shows every continent such as we have that welcome back to the second part of this, look back at the trial,
Had millions around the world following on facebook and twitter and on a dedicated television channel
over the next half hour will hear how ascap Asturias tried to convince the court that he loved reinvested in camp that he wanted to build a life with her and how that tree
was shattered in the early hours of valentine's day. Mistaking her for a burglar. He reached choice, gun and shut her throne locked bathroom door.
in often extremely emotional testimony pistorius this
at the moment that led up to the shooting this was the key to his version of events. So let's hear it in detail.
On Monday, in the early hours of fourteen february,
extremely warm in my room. I sat up in bed notice that defends
who still running and luther
doors open the lights had been switched off
there was a river was silhouette core issues of his feet, not sleeping she rolled over to mean she said consciously mother and I said Nora com. It's got out on my side of the bed. I got to the fence with fans. Were I took this
firm, full third place, it's pretty much just inside the route, and I took the bigger, proffered fan and placed it in the truth of interest,
to close. The siting goes and lock them are then true, the curtains,
Pointed out the window open in the bathroom sounded locker
the window sliding open and then I could hear the window hit the frame as if it had slipped.
the point: will it anymore? What what did you think it a time MR pistorius.
Well, maybe that's the moment that everything changed. I thought that there was a burglar
scudding infants, my own, I was
thinking, discharges frozen, really know. What to do. This noise are interpreted, it is being somebody was coming into. The bathroom is no dog between
the boss. Remember it's all one there's a passage way, but there's no door, there's a toilet all, but this note
barrier between me and the boss room. One. One room immediately thought that somebody, if they were at the window to weigh the passage entrance of the passage was, could be
Fourth, three: four meters: they could be there at any moment and the first, the first
thing that ran through my mind is that are needed to myself that are needed to protect
I have an aunt that I needed to get my garden and I was looking down. The passage was scared that the person was going to come onto. People were going to come out at that point.
Arrest as quick as I could. I couldn't see any thing in the red sox
with mind up in front of me at times,
touching the flow and men were not got some of it. I made my way along the side of my bed, I'm a guideline, my farm from underneath the bids and it had a canvas holster on its army. Did he took it all starts at point someone it's just put myself between get back to it,
It was so that I could put myself between personal gain access to my house and rigour. When I got to split
well the passage wall. I remember slowing down because so scared that at that point, this person, during the time that I got from that are left MT we have got Martha, could have possibly already been in the passage in the
was a passage, source or slow down, and I had my farm extended in front of me just as only from a bit I whispered for
to get down and find the police as an insect with a passenger piss tested passage, is where the closet is to the rear into the passage with a closet is to the to the bathroom. It was at that point that I was just overcome with fear and I started screaming,
thoughts in full. The burglar was introduced to get out of my house prosecutor harry now pugnacious and meticulous, made clear from the start that oscar pistorius was going to have to do better than that to convince the court of
innocence. He began his cross examination on a seemingly innocuous note as repressive malaria, MR pistorius
Were, and still are, one of the most wicked myspace is unworthy agreed criminality.
A model for sportsmen is able
the boys, all over them
it covers my lady made the terrible mistaken. You made a mistake,
It's correct, you kill the person, that's what you did isn't it. I made a mistake when you killed
thus the income that what you did. I made a mistake when they use european.
See that's what was your mistake? Start visitor took a slot
you ve killed you shot and killed it we're defect, responsibility for that, my lady at say it say. Yes, I killed I shot and killed three with cuba,
my lady one of the trials most explosive moments began when now
loved and apparently bizarre question at the accused. What is zombies papa
Oh, it is on this topic, as d never been in the presence of any person using the word zombie stopping nothin. I can recall millennia
Have you ever seen a video of yourself in the prisons of people referring to a zombie? Stop them,
I've never seen a video of myself where
someone in the video has referred to zombie, stopper and martin. As far as I can remember monday, if there was such a video on sky news, showing you shooting and somebody saying talking about a zombie stopper, would you be surprised.
I wouldn't be surprised and sang contra member. If you can show me video, like that in the past,
of the person than I can agree with that gladly canvas urban and, with that heading
now revealed a side of oscar pistorius that shocked many and profoundly unsettled the accused.
And you ve never seen before, and then these covered by scanning shows how asset handling has done
I'm ready,
I
the delight but listen to the voice of a man. He sounds very much like oscar pistorius. The great braver
but we could see the is the effects.
Ammunition, hat on a watermark it exploded. Mri
That's terrific. You know that the same happened to reverse it exploded happened.
I'm going show you, MR that the stewardess he can T.
That's only fit the bullet that
into headed.
The owes they knocked. That's it have haven't, looked
I know you don't want to, because you don't wanna, take responsibility, but it's time that you look at it take responsibility for what you ve done, Mr Pistorius, whether the earth
second responsibility by me waiting and not wanting to live my life, but waiting for my time on this stand. Thomas
for the respect of river and for myself after
responsibility, but I will not look at a pic
we implemented, but what I saw and felt that not as
agree the utma fingers touch the head. I remember I don't have to look at a picture. I was the same thing as the watermelon that graphic image of a bloodied reeva visibly upset her mother june, who, up until now had been stoic prior to the shooting,
rivers, life seemed to have been going from strength to strength, amount,
as well as a law graduate she'd been due to appear in a cellar?
de reality, tv show her friends
grabbed her as someone with both beauty and brains. She described herself as a child of god. Her final tweet on the thirteenth of february, twenty thirteen was an excited look forward to valentine.
say what do you have? Obviously for love to morrow. She asked
The man whom she spent her last night with ASCAP Asturias, was often reduced to tears over the next
who days with very nose insistence that he expressed his culpability now jabbed at the athlete ridiculing taunting him
his style of questioning, made sense to those who know him as a wrestling coach for high school students. Yesterday on the question of who we should blame for what happened, and you indicated that we should blame you, that's what we should be blamed for the fact that you shot it doesn't matter whether you are scared, I'm asking you, you said
We should blame you for having taken a lot. That's what you said yesterday, Iraq, that's correct, but who should be blamed for you having shutter already. I believed that there was a threat that was on my luck so
once again? We have we shouldn't blame you for the fact that you shot three with mister normality,
that we should, in my view, should really blame. You should think someone or something who should be blame, but I'm not sure.
Should we blame eva Allen,
She never told you she's going to the toilet. You do not blame murmur. Lady should be
the government done a huge these.
You'd been human.
we blaming somebody for the quality believed believe there was a therapist.
but we cannot blame you for having pull the trigger,
I you for been shot and killed, either you not to
leave that there was someone coming out to turkey, but then on says,
Yes, MR now we cannot blame me. That's! The answer is that the ones have given that answer to Mr Miller due Monday
So it went on for five days of merciless cross examination when ASCAP Asturias. Finally,
the stand in early April, those kind
instead of his guilt, were even more convinced. Heading
had left him no place to hide and all the different
could do was move on
Berry ruse earlier victories in exposing shoddy police work, an unreliable police witnesses, long forgotten one of them.
Your moments came when a fairy now effectively hijacked a possible tactic that the defence
could use to argue in mitigation of sentence. It came during
Testimony of an expert witness for the defense psychiatrist, metal foster. She told the court that ascap Asturias had been stuff
from an anxiety disorder, since he was an infant. It is my opinion, my lady, that.
Mr Pistorius has an anxiety, disorder interview.
Those with an anxiety, disorder work hard to
troll the environment and be very prepaid.
the to alleviate the levels of anxiety. What makes Mr Pistorius different from other offenders from the normal person is that
He has a physical vulnerability and generalized anxiety disorders, so his reaction
Two situations would be different. I'm not saying that this constitutes a mental illness when exposed
threat. Mr pistorius is more likely to respond with a fight response, rather than a flat response, as its political capacity for flight is limited,
Somebody that.
suffering from general anxiety disorder and would possess can set with making a dangerous person gets. Yes,.
And having done matters before.
that you also agree that that a person suffer
from a general anxiety disorder would be danger to society
the fees as access to their lives.
Secures hurry now said the psychiatrists. Evidence meant that it was important for pistorius as mental state to be assessed by professionals. So the
general anxiety, disorder or g, a d could either be considered or discounted as a reason for his reaction on the night of the shooting.
she specify. The diagnosis was thick use was suffering from J t. She,
Where did yesterday Milady that,
Diagnosis is directly relevant to the accused version and that, in our opinion, the J D may have a figure to use ability to act in accordance with with an appreciation of the wrong from of off.
I am satisfied that the case has been made out for the application or the relief as such by the state, and I shall gladly
that order some saw nels move as a clever ploy, while the defence called it a ruse.
I'm audrey brown and you listening to that
all of us cup, a the murder trial of the south african athlete
our scope, Asturias, resumes in pretoria today after a six week break while eggs
societies, mental health, his defence of lump story, was evaluated by three psychiatrist and one
psychologists. This whole evaluation came as a result of a cross examination. We pick.
The story after an adjournment of more than a month, while a panel of psychologists
Assessing whether or not a cop Asturias was.
Mentally impaired when he shot grievous the income on violence
day in twenty thirty in states iconoclasts ruled that he was capable of telling right from wrong.
His lawyers accepted the finding and bury rule continued. His defence by calling doktor Gerald Alexander first felt doktor first felt had known and treated ascap Asturias, since he was a baby. Doktor first felt testimony was to try to establish just how vulnerable a profoundly disabled, ascap Asturias. Is he
not walk on the industrial carpeting when trying to stand without holding on, he had difficulty standing and
moving all the time, the biggest stride he could take bearing weight on the lifts
while holding onto something measured twenty three
in two meters.
Holding onto something and bearing weight on his rights them that makes
in stride could take. Was thirty. Three centimetres left leg actually buckled. When he put weight on it
when standing walking, he was bendings back,
in walking storms. He measured one point four full thetis,
standing in issues and prostheses, he measured one point. Eight six me
Two. He weighed seventy three
kilograms. We not wearing his prostheses. It was difficult to way
because he was unable to stand still on the scale without holding on he way seventeen
Kilograms wearing is prostheses fully
and in his shoes
he is battling to walk. If you,
if you see how he's walking he's battling to walk and
for him to turn around is quite a
cs. I actually
ask him to two hundred and eighty degrees and
seven movements for him to do
That is quite a process in a controversy close to the end of the trial. Many people
an opportunity to see pistorius on his stumps when in Austria
and television channel ed leaked footage of him reacting events on the night he shot riva. The footage
showed the athlete shouting and running on his dumps, as he simulated holding a gun. The video
it was not used in court, had been used to create a computer model of what happened on the night of the shooting.
Stewardesses defence team condemned the area of the footage which, it said was a breach of trust and privacy.
defence lawyer barry room, went onto question a witness about whether the screams heard by various witnesses could have been
by a man or a woman. Much to them.
it's been to various social media commentators, the advocate for
it'd and annoyed, but dog to the end closed his case with an implicit criticism of the decision to broadcast proceedings
we put on record in its not that the court can do anything about it, just that it's on record that we were unable to call a number of witnesses who simply refuse to taste.
Because they say they dont one day they protected again
television, but they don't want their voices all over the world we have to take a decision, is nothing that we can do about it. So we just put that before you and with that in mind, when we close the case,
the things his defence at an end after having been found mentally company
and to understand his actions. Ascap, Asturias, broken and by some accounts broke waited for his fate to be decided if convicted. What would he sentence be if acquitted? What about the rest of you
I've, he treated an insight into his state of mind to his more than three hundred and fifty thousand followers on twitter
he began with the words the lord,
close to the broken hearted and followed that, with a passage from the book, man's search for meaning written by holocaust survivor, viktor frankl- I quote- I
understood how a man who has nothing left in this world
may know bliss bead, for only a brief moment in the contemplation of his beloved,
It only remains to hear the closing arguments both from the prosecution and the defence and so on. The seventh
an eighth of august harry now.
and bury rule presented their final arguments. We have the accused all.
Ready that these, the reasonable is,
If the woman standing in the through looking at a toilet, do armed and ready to fire if that person is disabled and not the fact that he is armed is the fact that the coach take into account and that he has he's pharrell
Pointed towards the the door now, a reasonable man, a disabled man who has been able to man a reasonable women, reasonable. Whoever will not fire. The court will not accept that that person would fire with out cause
now what we have here is this. There was no cause. Nobody came out of the do what we have objectively, we have a unarmed, vulnerable woman shot and killed in a toilet that object. If that's what we have simulated as far as objective thesis concerned, it's not the objective taste of a disabled man that cannot get away that that's acting. We have a disabled man with a firearm ready to shoot. It would have been different from a lady if that door opened and he fired because at least there's something. Some object
incidents that that the court could look at, but we don't have it here, somebody he cannot escape now standing at the door. You vulnerable
It has the effects of the slow burn over many years. You anxious you train, does an athlete to react to sound sprinters
we all knowing you try. This is that all those factors into account and,
stance now, with these finger, really
finally, if necessary,.
any stands there and they made the noise loud, not to think of it.
If I stay beyond to lose his finger on the trigger and he's in a fearful state- and I make lab minds behind him- I'm very happy to make this submission.
That, in some cases, a personal fire reflected in some instances not end there
judge messy by gave her verdict this stage.
That in september, two thousand and two and twelve on public road, the accused unlawfully discharge the fire.
Through the open sunroof on this count,
the state failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt in respect of
Three, the state alleging that in january, two thousand and thirteen attaches restaurant. The accused and
fully discharged the fire in nice.
The state has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused contravene section. One count for.
The allegation was that the accused,
unlawfully in possessed
of ammunition and respect
discount the state fails to prove beyond reasonable doubt all they encounter one
The accused is charged with premeditated manner,
the timelines as set out in the chronology of events cheap. This scales,
favor of the accused version in general
Viewed in its totality, the evidence failed chest
Instead, the accused had the requisite intention to kill the disease, let alone with pre meditation. How cool
The accused reasonably have foreseen that the shots he fired with killed a disease. Clearly,
He did not subjectively foresee this as positive as a possibility. The evidence of various witnesses who gave evidence on on what they head in what sequence
and when proved to be unreliable. The accused active negligently when he fired shot into the toilet
knowing that there was someone behind the door and that
very little room in which to maneuver
the pistorius. Please stand up having
to the totality of this evidence in this matter.
The unanimous decision of this court is the following one on coal,
One may that read the accused
is found not guilty.
is discharged. Instead,
found guilty of culpable homicide.
I'm audrey brown and you have been listening to the trial of oscar pistorius on the BBC world service. The producer was Keith
tired
adds barging in to your favorite news, bod good news.
Ad free listening on amazon music is included with your prime membership. Just
the amazon dot com, slash ad free news broadcasts to catch up on the latest episode without the ads
and without an acre shows every continent such as we have that.
Transcript generated on 2023-12-08.