It is clear that prosecutor Gerrie Nel intends to give no leeway to Paralympian Oscar Pistorius during his cross-examination of the Blade Runner in his trial for the Valentine's Day killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year.
Nel began his cross-examination by asking if Pistorius would agree that, prior to the incident, he was one of the world's most recognisable personalities, looked up to by disabled and able athletes alike.
Pistorius answered that he was, "until I made a mistake".
Nel responded: "A mistake? What mistake? You killed Reeva Steenkamp. Say yes, I killed Reeva Steenkamp."
Pistorius had earlier finished testifying about the events following his discovery of Steenkamp's body in his toilet cubicle after he had fired four shots through the door and had broken it down with a cricket bat.
He testified that he had dragged her body to the bathroom and called Johan Stander, the manager of Silver Woods Estate, where he lived.
He said that Stander arrived by the time he had managed to pick up Steenkamp and carry her down the first flight of stairs.
Pistorius also called Netcare 911 and, when Stander and his daughter arrived, he shouted for them to help him get Steenkamp to a hospital but they told him to wait as an ambulance was on its way.
Pistorius testified that he had his one hand in Steenkamp's mouth to try and help her breathe and the other hand on her hip to try stem the bleeding, when a man, later identified to him as Silver Woods Estate resident Dr Johan Stipp, arrived but was unable to help him.
Paramedics then arrived and Pistorius was asked to move away from Steenkamp's body so they could work on her.
He moved to the kitchen where he was then informed that Steenkamp had died. It was then that police began to arrive. Pistorius was unable to recall all of the details following their arrival.
Pistorius also demonstrated to the court how he had kicked the bathroom door and used the cricket bat to break it down.
Before concluding his examination in chief, Pistorius was asked by his lawyer Barry Roux if he intended to kill Steenkamp.
He replied: "I never intended to kill Reeva, nor anyone else for that matter."
Court adjourned shortly after Nel began his cross-examination, in order to determine whether a video of Pistorius at a shooting range shown on Sky News could be played to the court. Roux argued that this would constitute new evidence not introduced as part of the state's original case, while Nel argued that the video formed part of character evidence, which the state is now entitled to consider in the light of the defence having introduced their own character evidence during Pistorius's testimony.
Judge Thokozile Masipa has allowed the defence to view the video before making a final ruling on the video's admissibility.
The trial will resume following further submissions and the judge's ruling on this aspect.
Oscar Trial: Day 19
Nel began his cross-examination by asking if Pistorius would agree that, prior to the incident, he was one of the world's most recognisable personalities, looked up to by disabled and able athletes alike.
Pistorius answered that he was, "until I made a mistake".
Nel responded: "A mistake? What mistake? You killed Reeva Steenkamp. Say yes, I killed Reeva Steenkamp."
Pistorius had earlier finished testifying about the events following his discovery of Steenkamp's body in his toilet cubicle after he had fired four shots through the door and had broken it down with a cricket bat.
He testified that he had dragged her body to the bathroom and called Johan Stander, the manager of Silver Woods Estate, where he lived.
He said that Stander arrived by the time he had managed to pick up Steenkamp and carry her down the first flight of stairs.
Pistorius also called Netcare 911 and, when Stander and his daughter arrived, he shouted for them to help him get Steenkamp to a hospital but they told him to wait as an ambulance was on its way.
Pistorius testified that he had his one hand in Steenkamp's mouth to try and help her breathe and the other hand on her hip to try stem the bleeding, when a man, later identified to him as Silver Woods Estate resident Dr Johan Stipp, arrived but was unable to help him.
Paramedics then arrived and Pistorius was asked to move away from Steenkamp's body so they could work on her.
He moved to the kitchen where he was then informed that Steenkamp had died. It was then that police began to arrive. Pistorius was unable to recall all of the details following their arrival.
Pistorius also demonstrated to the court how he had kicked the bathroom door and used the cricket bat to break it down.
Before concluding his examination in chief, Pistorius was asked by his lawyer Barry Roux if he intended to kill Steenkamp.
He replied: "I never intended to kill Reeva, nor anyone else for that matter."
Court adjourned shortly after Nel began his cross-examination, in order to determine whether a video of Pistorius at a shooting range shown on Sky News could be played to the court. Roux argued that this would constitute new evidence not introduced as part of the state's original case, while Nel argued that the video formed part of character evidence, which the state is now entitled to consider in the light of the defence having introduced their own character evidence during Pistorius's testimony.
Judge Thokozile Masipa has allowed the defence to view the video before making a final ruling on the video's admissibility.
The trial will resume following further submissions and the judge's ruling on this aspect.
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