Oscar Pistorius: Substance found in Olympic athlete's house was "herbal remedy," defense lawyer says

(CBS/AP) PRETORIA, South Africa - Police claimed they discovered two boxes of testosterone and needles in Oscar Pistorius' house, but his defense lawyer said Wednesday that the substance found in the Olympic athlete's house was an "herbal remedy" and not banned.

Pictures: Olympic athlete charged with murder

Pistorius was charged with premeditated murder in the Valentine's Day shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. During his bail hearing in a South African court, Police Detective Warrant Officer Hilton Botha claimed that testosterone was discovered at the athlete's upscale house in Pretoria. Botha did not provide further details or explanation.

While questioning the 16-year police veteran, Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux said that it was not a banned substance and that police were trying to give the discovery a "negative connotation."

"It is an herbal remedy," Roux said. "It is not a steroid and it is not a banned substance."

Police "take every piece of evidence and try to extract the most possibly negative connotation and present it to the court," Roux said.

It was not immediately clear what the substance was.

Prosecutor Nel also said that police were not saying that Pistorius was using the substance, only that it was discovered along with the needles in his bedroom.

Pistorius said Tuesday in a written affidavit that he mistakenly killed his model girlfriend in the early hours of Valentine's Day when he fired shots into a locked toilet door thinking she was a dangerous intruder.

The prosecution claims Pistorius intended to kill the 29-year-old Steenkamp after they had a fight.

Pistorius made history in London last year by being the first double-amputee runner to compete at the Olympics. International Paralympic Committee spokesman Craig Spence told The Associated Press that Pistoirus was drug tested twice in London last year by the IPC, on Aug. 25 and Sept. 8. Both test results were negative, Spence said.

The Aug. 25 test was an out-of-competition test, and the Sept. 8 one in-competition, a day before the end of the London Paralympics.

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