Facing a criminal charge of premeditated murder of his girlfriend, Paraolympian Oscar Pistorius wept in court on Friday.
He could face a potential life in prison sentence. Pistorius' family and London-based management, however, issued a statement disputing the premeditated murder charge for killing Reeva Steenkamp.
"The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms," the statement read.
As the proceeding began, Pistorius was heard loudly sobbing, even prompting the Chief Magistrate Desmond Nasir to say, "take it easy," according to reports in the New York Post.
Based on court reports, numerous pieces seem to contradict the notion that Pistorius shot Steenkamp because he mistook her for a burglar, as his team has said. It was revealed that police had been called to Pistorius' residence two hours before the shooting because neighbors complained of hearing a loud argument. South African media reported that he shot her four times through a bathroom door. Police said investigators recovered a 9mm pistol from his home.
While news media have camped out the court room, and the story has generated a heavy buzz in the press, the chief magistrate dismissed requests from a private television and the state broadcaster to air the hearing live. Nasir also ordered that no photographs be taken while court was in session.
Steenkamp, a 30-year-old model and law school graduate, was an up-and-coming personality, already appearing in magazines, commercials and was slated for a reality TV show. Lt. Col. Katlego Mogale said the results of the autopsy would not be published.
Last November, Pistorius was also involved in an altercation over a woman with a local coal mining millionaire, South African media reported. Prosecutors will seek a premeditated murder charge against Pistorius, claiming they have evidence that the athlete planned the killing ahead of time, said William Booth, a prominent defense lawyer from Cape Town, and reported by the Associated Press.
According to reports, his case has already been compared to O.J. Simpson, the ex-football standout who was accused of killing his former wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. That case also drew heavy international media attention. Pistorius made history at the 2012 London Olympics year when he became the first double-amputee track athlete to compete at any games. Pistorius' nickname is "Blade Runner" for his prosthetic legs.
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