The trial of the man known as "Blade Runner" was adjourned last Thursday. The next scheduled hearing for the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius would resume on May 5 after three days of cross examination conducted by the state on the defense's expert forensic witness.
The adjournment was granted by Judge Thokozile Masipa after the state moved for postponment to avoid scheduling conflicts with its other cases. The cross examination of Roger Dixon, the defense's expert forensic witness, was conducted by Prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who is known in the legal circles as "The Pitbull" because of his aggressive tactics. The questioning centered on Dixon's expertise over the matter and his credibility.
Pistorius, an Olympian and Paralympian sprinter, is currently on trial for the alleged murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He shot her four times from a 9mm pistol in his affluent Pretoria home last February 14, 2014. He claimed that he mistook the 29 year old model and law graduate as an intruder who was hiding in the toilet.
The defense's expert witness, a former police officer and forensic geologist, said on the witness stand that Steenkamp had stood at an angle to the door, with her arm in front of her. This suggested that she was reaching for the handle before being Pistorius shot her four times. This challenged the version of the events presented by the prosecution, which said that Pistorius was a 'gun-obsessed hot-head' who shot Steenkamp after a spat.
The trial has gained both local and international attention. Prior to the incident, Pistorius was one of the most respected individuals in the world of sport. His legs were amputated in childhood but had overcome great odds to reach the semifinals of the 400 m sprint in the 2012 London Olympics using carbon fiber prosthetic 'blades' as his lower legs, hence the monicker "Blade Runner."
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