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Watch live: Oscar Pistorius murder trial
Follow events from Pretoria, where Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is giving evidence in his murder trial. Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 8.30am BST
Oscar Pistorius trial April 9 as it happened
South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistoriusreturned to the dock for a second day to conclude his defence. He then faced a fierce attack under cross-examination from prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
Oscar Pistorius' description of the events the night Reeva Steenkamp died reached an emotional climax when the athlete told the court that his girlfriend Reeva died in his arms after he shot her in his home last year.
Pistorius then faced the prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who began tearing into his version of events on that fateful night. The Olympic athlete broke down when the prosecutor pushed him to look at a police photograph of Reeva Steenkamp's bloodied head, and compared it to a watermelon the athlete shot at shooting range.
Under intense cross-examination Pistorius then admitted to the court that he had discharged his firearm at his bathroom door by accident, and had not meant to kill anyone.
On Monday 7 April, Pistorius made his first appearance in the witness stand. He began his testimony on Monday by giving gave a tearful apology to the family of Reeva Steenkamp. He then collapsed in sobs and howls as he described the moments he says he first realised he had shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a toilet door in his home last year.
Pistorius claims he fatally shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by mistake thinking she was an intruder in his home. His testimony will be crucial to his defense against the murder charge because it allows the judge to determine his credibility. There is no trial by jury in South Africa so Pistorius has the chance to convince Judge Thokozile Masipa and her two assessors that he did not intend to kill his girlfriend, and is not guilty of murder.
Over the past month, the prosecution haslaid out its case against the athlete, claiming he killed Reeva after an argument.
Among the evidence the court heard were phone messages that revealed that Pistorius and Steenkamp argued fiercely in the turbulent weeks before he killed her, and that the athlete's girlfriend told him she was sometimes scared by his behaviour.
During the second week of evidence, the court heard that Pistorius had had to fill out a firearm proficiency test before he purchased his guns, which showed the athlete knew it was illegal to fire on an intruder.
The judge also heard from Colonel Schoombie Van Rensburg, the first policeman to arrive at Pistorius' home, who revealed forensic blunders that could hamper the case.
During the hearing, several graphic images of the bloodied crime scene were also shown, causing Pistorius to become visibly distressed and unwell.
The brown, bullet-marked lavatory door through which Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend was set up in the courtroom, as prosecutors attempted to recreate his shooting of Miss Steenkamp for the judge.
Earlier, the trial heard about Pistorius's love of guns from a former friend of the Paralympian.
Watch the key witness testimonies from the first week of the trial:
Oscar: 'I never purposely fired shots at the door'
PRETORIA - Oscar Pistorius fetched his fans off his balcony, heard a noise which he thought was an intruder, and fired four shots at his toilet door, not intending to kill anyone.
This was the evidence give by the Blade Runner in his murder trial, and which came under cross-examination this afternoon when his version was tested.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel began the afternoons cross-examination by again talking to Pistorius about the discrepancy between his affidavit and the evidence he gave in court.
In his bail application Pistorius said he had gone onto the balcony to fetch a fan, but later testified that he had not gone outside at all and simply pulled the fan in from the doorway.
Pistorius eventually conceded that the discrepancy must have been a mistake introduced by his own Senior Counsel, Advocate Barry Roux.
In his plea explanation, given to the court at the start of trial, Pistorius had claimed that the scene had been contaminated, disturbed and tampered with.
Is it still your version that the scene was tampered with? Nel said.
Pistorius said he had seen numerous photographs of the scene where things were moved and changed and the scene was contaminated by people not having worn protective clothing.
Asked for a specific instance, Pistorius said his dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamps phone had been moved.
Pistorius said he believed the fans he had brought into his room had also been tampered with. One of them had been unplugged by a policeman who then plugged in his cellphone.
Pistorius said his team would bring in an expert witness to testify as to how the fans had been tampered with, but was unable to name the specific witness or what he would say. He said he did not know all the experts that we have, and that he did not understand every aspect or have knowledge of every bit of disturbance or contamination.
Nel asked him if he had consulted with his own experts and if he knew what they were going to say. Pistorius said he did not know, and it would be up to his counsel as to who would be called and when.
Nel questioned Pistorius on his version that he had two fans on in his bedroom and both were on at the time of the shooting. Pulling up a photograph of the scene, Nel asked for a close-up of the extension cord where the bigger fan had been plugged in, showing that there was no two-prong socket where the second fan could possibly have been plugged in.
Pistorius said he could not explain this, and that perhaps police had tampered with the fans. He remained confident of his version that both fans had been plugged in and this was why he had got out of bed to move them inside.
Nel moved on to the actual shooting which Pistorius had referred to as an accidental shooting. He asked Pistorius if he fired at a perceived threat, or if he had discharged his gun accidentally.
Pistorius failed to answer clearly, each time saying he had shot out of fear and I never intended to shoot anyone.
Asked if he was fearful of giving an answer because of the consequences, Pistorius said he had to constantly be mindful of every word he said. He was worried about the implications of his words because my life is on the line.
Nel pointed out that Steenkamp no longer had a life.
Commenting on Pistoriuss contention that he believed that there was an intruder behind the door, but that he had no clear intention to shoot anyone, Nel asked: You never purposely fired shots into the door?
No, My Lady, I didnt, Pistorius responded.
Nel then referred Pistorius back to his affidavit where he had stated that he fired shots at the door.
The case was adjourned and will continue tomorrow morning at 9.30am.
-eNCA
Follow events from Pretoria, where Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is giving evidence in his murder trial. Proceedings are scheduled to begin at 8.30am BST
Oscar Pistorius trial April 9 as it happened
South African Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistoriusreturned to the dock for a second day to conclude his defence. He then faced a fierce attack under cross-examination from prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
Oscar Pistorius' description of the events the night Reeva Steenkamp died reached an emotional climax when the athlete told the court that his girlfriend Reeva died in his arms after he shot her in his home last year.
Pistorius then faced the prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who began tearing into his version of events on that fateful night. The Olympic athlete broke down when the prosecutor pushed him to look at a police photograph of Reeva Steenkamp's bloodied head, and compared it to a watermelon the athlete shot at shooting range.
Under intense cross-examination Pistorius then admitted to the court that he had discharged his firearm at his bathroom door by accident, and had not meant to kill anyone.
On Monday 7 April, Pistorius made his first appearance in the witness stand. He began his testimony on Monday by giving gave a tearful apology to the family of Reeva Steenkamp. He then collapsed in sobs and howls as he described the moments he says he first realised he had shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a toilet door in his home last year.
Pistorius claims he fatally shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by mistake thinking she was an intruder in his home. His testimony will be crucial to his defense against the murder charge because it allows the judge to determine his credibility. There is no trial by jury in South Africa so Pistorius has the chance to convince Judge Thokozile Masipa and her two assessors that he did not intend to kill his girlfriend, and is not guilty of murder.
Over the past month, the prosecution haslaid out its case against the athlete, claiming he killed Reeva after an argument.
Among the evidence the court heard were phone messages that revealed that Pistorius and Steenkamp argued fiercely in the turbulent weeks before he killed her, and that the athlete's girlfriend told him she was sometimes scared by his behaviour.
During the second week of evidence, the court heard that Pistorius had had to fill out a firearm proficiency test before he purchased his guns, which showed the athlete knew it was illegal to fire on an intruder.
The judge also heard from Colonel Schoombie Van Rensburg, the first policeman to arrive at Pistorius' home, who revealed forensic blunders that could hamper the case.
During the hearing, several graphic images of the bloodied crime scene were also shown, causing Pistorius to become visibly distressed and unwell.
The brown, bullet-marked lavatory door through which Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend was set up in the courtroom, as prosecutors attempted to recreate his shooting of Miss Steenkamp for the judge.
Earlier, the trial heard about Pistorius's love of guns from a former friend of the Paralympian.
Watch the key witness testimonies from the first week of the trial:
Oscar: 'I never purposely fired shots at the door'
PRETORIA - Oscar Pistorius fetched his fans off his balcony, heard a noise which he thought was an intruder, and fired four shots at his toilet door, not intending to kill anyone.
This was the evidence give by the Blade Runner in his murder trial, and which came under cross-examination this afternoon when his version was tested.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel began the afternoons cross-examination by again talking to Pistorius about the discrepancy between his affidavit and the evidence he gave in court.
In his bail application Pistorius said he had gone onto the balcony to fetch a fan, but later testified that he had not gone outside at all and simply pulled the fan in from the doorway.
Pistorius eventually conceded that the discrepancy must have been a mistake introduced by his own Senior Counsel, Advocate Barry Roux.
In his plea explanation, given to the court at the start of trial, Pistorius had claimed that the scene had been contaminated, disturbed and tampered with.
Is it still your version that the scene was tampered with? Nel said.
Pistorius said he had seen numerous photographs of the scene where things were moved and changed and the scene was contaminated by people not having worn protective clothing.
Asked for a specific instance, Pistorius said his dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamps phone had been moved.
Pistorius said he believed the fans he had brought into his room had also been tampered with. One of them had been unplugged by a policeman who then plugged in his cellphone.
Pistorius said his team would bring in an expert witness to testify as to how the fans had been tampered with, but was unable to name the specific witness or what he would say. He said he did not know all the experts that we have, and that he did not understand every aspect or have knowledge of every bit of disturbance or contamination.
Nel asked him if he had consulted with his own experts and if he knew what they were going to say. Pistorius said he did not know, and it would be up to his counsel as to who would be called and when.
Nel questioned Pistorius on his version that he had two fans on in his bedroom and both were on at the time of the shooting. Pulling up a photograph of the scene, Nel asked for a close-up of the extension cord where the bigger fan had been plugged in, showing that there was no two-prong socket where the second fan could possibly have been plugged in.
Pistorius said he could not explain this, and that perhaps police had tampered with the fans. He remained confident of his version that both fans had been plugged in and this was why he had got out of bed to move them inside.
Nel moved on to the actual shooting which Pistorius had referred to as an accidental shooting. He asked Pistorius if he fired at a perceived threat, or if he had discharged his gun accidentally.
Pistorius failed to answer clearly, each time saying he had shot out of fear and I never intended to shoot anyone.
Asked if he was fearful of giving an answer because of the consequences, Pistorius said he had to constantly be mindful of every word he said. He was worried about the implications of his words because my life is on the line.
Nel pointed out that Steenkamp no longer had a life.
Commenting on Pistoriuss contention that he believed that there was an intruder behind the door, but that he had no clear intention to shoot anyone, Nel asked: You never purposely fired shots into the door?
No, My Lady, I didnt, Pistorius responded.
Nel then referred Pistorius back to his affidavit where he had stated that he fired shots at the door.
The case was adjourned and will continue tomorrow morning at 9.30am.
-eNCA