A DEFENCE expert witness in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial has contradicted a piece of the athlete’s evidence that could prove crucial to the case.
Witness Roger Dixon, a geologist and former head of the materials analysis section at the police’s forensic science lab, has been subjected to relentless cross-examination from prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who attacked his findings and credibility.
Pistorius, 27, is on trial in the Pretoria High Court for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, 29, after he shot her through a toilet door on February 14 last year.
Yesterday, Dixon placed a magazine rack in the toilet cubicle of Pistorius’s Pretoria home in a different position to where the athlete located it.
Captain Christiaan Mangena earlier testified for the state that he believed Steenkamp had fallen on the rack in the corner next to the toilet and was sitting on it, covering her head with her hands, when the fourth and final bullet hit her in the head.
The defence, however, says that Steenkamp fell against the rack but came to rest on the floor, with her head on the toilet bowl – and not cowering in fear as the state claims.
Pistorius testified that the magazine rack was towards the corner furthest from the toilet when he found Steenkamp.
During cross-examination yesterday, Dixon said he could tell from rectangular marks in the blood on the floor that the magazine rack was against the wall next to the toilet – as the state claims – when a bleeding Steenkamp sat against it. Asked by Nel whether Pistorius was then wrong, Dixon replied: “The magazine rack was there. If it was not there when Mr Pistorius entered, that is his version.”
Nel also interrogated Dixon about photographs taken of a defence investigator on his knees in Pistorius’s bathroom, used to indicate how much of Pistorius’s head and torso would be visible through the window if he was on his stumps.
Neighbour Johan Stipp earlier testified for the state that he saw someone walking in Pistorius’ bathroom from his first-floor balcony on the morning of the shooting.
However, Nel attacked Dixon for presenting the photograph to the court even though it was not an accurate representation of Pistorius’ height as his stumps end a portion below his knees.
The trial resumes on May 5.
Major blow to defence as contradictions emerge
Witness Roger Dixon, a geologist and former head of the materials analysis section at the police’s forensic science lab, has been subjected to relentless cross-examination from prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who attacked his findings and credibility.
Pistorius, 27, is on trial in the Pretoria High Court for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, 29, after he shot her through a toilet door on February 14 last year.
Yesterday, Dixon placed a magazine rack in the toilet cubicle of Pistorius’s Pretoria home in a different position to where the athlete located it.
Captain Christiaan Mangena earlier testified for the state that he believed Steenkamp had fallen on the rack in the corner next to the toilet and was sitting on it, covering her head with her hands, when the fourth and final bullet hit her in the head.
The defence, however, says that Steenkamp fell against the rack but came to rest on the floor, with her head on the toilet bowl – and not cowering in fear as the state claims.
Pistorius testified that the magazine rack was towards the corner furthest from the toilet when he found Steenkamp.
During cross-examination yesterday, Dixon said he could tell from rectangular marks in the blood on the floor that the magazine rack was against the wall next to the toilet – as the state claims – when a bleeding Steenkamp sat against it. Asked by Nel whether Pistorius was then wrong, Dixon replied: “The magazine rack was there. If it was not there when Mr Pistorius entered, that is his version.”
Nel also interrogated Dixon about photographs taken of a defence investigator on his knees in Pistorius’s bathroom, used to indicate how much of Pistorius’s head and torso would be visible through the window if he was on his stumps.
Neighbour Johan Stipp earlier testified for the state that he saw someone walking in Pistorius’ bathroom from his first-floor balcony on the morning of the shooting.
However, Nel attacked Dixon for presenting the photograph to the court even though it was not an accurate representation of Pistorius’ height as his stumps end a portion below his knees.
The trial resumes on May 5.
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