It has been a long time coming, but finally South Africans and those watching this trial around the world might get to hear Oscar Pistorius tell the court in his own words exactly what his intention was when he fired four shots through his locked toilet door, writes Debora Patta.
In South African law, it is expected that if the accused testifies in his own defence, he is up first on the stand unless a strong legal argument is made against this. The defence has indicated it will call Pistorius, but has been making noise in the last few days intimating that it may petition the court to hear him later.
Either way, he will have his day in court at some point, and how he performs on that witness stand will either make or break the case for him.
Prosecution case
Before he takes the stand he needs to consider the more compelling aspects of the prosecution's case against him.
Four different neighbours testified that they heard gunshots and the haunting sounds of a woman screaming. Apparently so blood-curdling were the screams that neighbour Michelle Burger said she is still cannot get them out of her mind. And neighbour Anette Stipp said the screams were clearly those of woman who was terrified.
The WhatsApp communications between Steenkamp and Pistorius provided the only opportunity to heart Steenkamp's voice from beyond the grave.
Then there was the ballistic evidence by Captain Chris Mangena - a more assured and composed witness would be hard to find. He told the court that Reeva Steenkamp was facing the door when Pistorius started shooting. The first bullet shattered her hip, the second ricocheted and missed her, causing bruising on her back, and the third and fourth bullets shattered her arm and pierced her hand and then shattered her skull.
Crucially, Mangena said while he could not say which order the last two bullets were fired, he is adamant the first one struck her hip and that the shooter then changed positions, allowing for a short pause between shots.
This ties in with evidence given by pathologist Prof Gert Saayman, who said that if the first shot hit her hip then there is absolutely no doubt that Steenkamp would have screamed involuntarily from the pain.
Gun-obsessed
The court also heard that Pistorius was reckless and gun-obsessed. He wanted to purchase seven firearms - a purchase which was cancelled after he shot his girlfriend. He laughingly fired a shot through an open sunroof on another occasion and discharged a loaded gun in a crowded restaurant with children nearby, albeit by accident.The final part of the prosecution's evidence was the WhatsApp communications between Steenkamp and Pistorius downloaded from their mobile phones. The only opportunity the court had really to hear Steenkamp's voice from beyond the grave. In these messages she painted a picture of Pistorius as jealous, possessive and controlling, a man she was at times 'scared of'.
While most of the messages were indeed those of a normal, loving couple, gender activists were quick to point out in South Africa that at the very least alarm bells should have been ringing about Pistorius's behaviour so early on in their relationship.
Posted by Unknown on Thursday, March 27, 2014 - Rating: 4.5
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