World

Oscar Pistorius sobs on stand in murder trial, forcing another delay in cross examination

/ AP

Pistorius' dramatic courtroom breakdown in murder trial

PRETORIA, South Africa -- A judge temporarily adjourned the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius Monday after the athlete started to sob while testifying about the moments before he killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in his home last year.

Oscar Pistorius up for more intense questioning in murder trial
Chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who had accused the double-amputee runner of tailoring his account of events to fit the evidence, asked Pistorius what exactly he said as he moved toward the bathroom where he shot Steenkamp, who was behind a closed door in the toilet cubicle.

Pistorius said he thought there was an intruder in the house and that he screamed, using an expletive, for the purported intruder to get out of his house. As he testified, he began to wail.

The proceedings resumed after a brief delay. Nel continued to ask Pistorius about his remarks before he shot Steenkamp, and the manner in which he held his gun as he approached the closed toilet cubicle door.

The prosecution says Pistorius' account of a mistaken shooting is a lie.

First published on April 14, 2014 / 6:04 AM EDT

© 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.