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The Oscar Pistorius murder trial Day 1

All the news from the Oscar Pistorius murder trial in one place

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[full]STEENKAMP FAMILY WEARING BLACK – Sapa

The front row of the public gallery in the High Court in Pretoria, where paralympian Oscar Pistorius was appearing for his murder trial, was a sea of black on Monday.

Most of those from the Steenkamp family wore black and only one woman in purple stood out.

The trial, scheduled to begin at 10am, was not yet underway by 10.30am, but files had piled up on Judge Thokozile Masipa’s desk.

Pistorius, 27, is charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria on Valentine’s Day last year and contravening the Firearms Control Act.

He has said he thought she was an intruder when he shot her through a closed toilet door.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

PISTORIUS HAS NOTEBOOK READY -Sapa

Murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius was ready to take down notes at the High Court in Pretoria on Monday.

His black notebook was on his lap and he had a pen in hand.

A sketch artist was seen facing Pistorius with pencil and paper ready.

The 27-year-old double amputee was also seen passing a note to his family sitting behind him in courtroom GD.

Pistorius faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

EWN reports the delay is due to no Afrikaans interpreter being available for witnesses who want to testify in their home language

Tweet: TMG Oscar ‏@OscarsTrial Crackpot and surnameless Annemarie has turned up again. #pleasegodno

Tweet: TMG Oscar ‏@OscarsTrial Getting a little antsy here as we still wait for the judge. #ticktock

EWN reports a 20 min delay to start of trial #OscarTrial #OscarPistorius

LAST-MINUTE TALKS IN COURT BEFORE TRIAL STARTS – Sapa

At least 13 lawyers had last-minute snatches of conversation ahead of the start of Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday.

With Pistorius leaning over the dock to speak to his own counsel Barry Roux, Roux’s robed adversary prosecutor Gerrie Nel peered over his spectacles at the other side of the courtroom, waiting for Judge Thokozile Masipa to set proceedings in motion.

Pistorius is charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria on Valentine’s Day last year and contravening the Firearms Control Act. He has said he thought she was an intruder when he shot her through a closed toilet door.

Steenkamp’s mother June, behind him to his right, occasionally glanced over at him.

His own family filled the left of the front bench, also only speaking occasionally.

STEENKAMP EMOTIONLESS AS PISTORIUS ENTERS – Sapa

Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, looked at murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius without emotion as he entered courtroom GD on Monday.

He avoided looking at the public gallery, where June Steenkamp was sitting.

Pistorius entered the court before 10am to stand trial for allegedly murdering Steenkamp last year.

He was ushered into the court through a side entrance and took a cushion as he sat down in the dock. He was wearing a grey suit, took a sip of water and shrugged his shoulders.

He was seen talking to his defence team, and whispering into his advocate Barry Roux’s ear.

Pistorius, 27, faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

PISTORIUS’S UNCLE ARRIVES – Sapa

Arnold Pistorius, the uncle of murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius, arrived at the High Court in Pretoria around 10am.

Two television sets were set up in an overflow courtroom with a large screen in the middle and speakers on the side.

The trial was scheduled to begin at 10am.

Pistorius, 27, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home last year. He faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

PISTORIUS ENTERS COURT ROOM – Sapa

Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius entered court GD at the High Court in Pretoria on Monday morning, to face a charge of the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

He was ushered into the court through a side entrance and took a cushion as he sat down in the dock. He was wearing a grey suit, took a sip of water and shrugged his shoulders.

He leaned forward and spoke to one of the members of his defence team sitting in front of him.

Pistorius is accused of the premeditated murder of Steenkamp.

His lawyers will argue that he mistook her for an intruder when he shot her through a bathroom door.

June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, sitting on a court bench just looked at him briefly, showing no emotion.

Pistorius, wearing a grey suit and a white shirt, avoided looking at the public gallery and his brother Carl and sisteR Aimee were sitting.

Oscar Pistorius whispered something in the ear of his lawyer Barry Roux.

A police officer removed his cap and shook hands with the accused.

Tweet: TMG Oscar ‏@OscarsTrial It’s almost time for the judge to appear not long now. Pistorius taking some last minute consultation with his team. #ReadySteadyGo

Tweet: ‏@GraemeHosken June Steenkamp glances briefly at oscar as he walks directly past he not looking at her at all

MEDIA NOT ALLOWED TO SPEAK TO LEGAL TEAM – Sapa

Journalists were asked not to speak to the judge or the prosecution teams in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday ahead of the murder-trial of paralympian Oscar Pistorius.

Lulama Luti, spokeswoman for the Office of the Chief Justice, told media not to speak to them and ordered reporters not to take pictures of the courtroom with cellphones or tablets.

National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Nathi Ncube, addressing media in the public gallery, said they would not discuss the merits of the case.

Pistorius, 27, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home last year. He faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva, glanced over at the Pistorius family when they walked into the courtroom.

The trial was due to begin at 10am.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

LEGAL TEAMS MEET OUTSIDE COURT – Sapa

The prosecution and the defence team in the Oscar Pistorius murder trial left the court room through the judge’s entrance, apparently to hold a meeting prior to proceedings in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday morning.

The court room was filling up ahead of Pistorius’s appearance.

He is accused of shooting dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his Pretoria home on February 14, 2013. He has claimed he had mistaken her for an intruder.

Pistorius siblings Aimee and Carl sat in the same row as the Steenkamp family.

The Pistorius and Steenkamp families left a large gap between themselves on the bench.

Steenkamp’s mother, June, and those who accompanied her were dressed in black. She sat quietly in the gallery, waiting for the proceedings to begin.

Tweet: @GraemeHosken Oscar Pistorius strikes a lonely figure in the dock of courtroom GD at pretoria high court talks to lawyers

Tweet: ‏@GraemeHosken evident tension between oscar brother carl and steenkamps flatmate gina myres as they sit next to each other

LAWYERS TALK AHEAD OF CASE -Sapa

The State’s prosecutor Gerrie Nel and Steenkamp family lawyer Dup de Bruyn began talking inside courtroom GD ahead of paralympian Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial on Monday morning.

Pistorius’s lawyers Brian Webber and Barry Roux were seen chatting, while the double-amputee’s brother Carl, wearing a blue suit, was led into the High Court in Pretoria by police.

Carl seemed uncomfortable as looked around the courtroom and whispered to his sister Aimee.

The Pistorius siblings have in the past court appearances shown a united front. During Pistorius’s bail application over a year ago, they were seen praying together in the court before the proceedings began.

Pistorius, 27, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home last year. He faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva, glanced over at the Pistorius family when they walked into the courtroom. The trial was due to begin at 10am.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

STEENKAMP FAMILY IN COURT – Sapa

The murder-trial of paralympian Oscar Pistorius was due to begin at 10am in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday.

Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, and other family members began taking their seats in the first row of court room GD before 9am.

Steenkamp’s lawyer Dup de Bruyn was also seen inside the court room, as was cellphone record expert, Captain Francois Moller.

De Bruyn was seated next to June Steenkamp who was dressed in black.

She told the Star she wanted to look Pistorius in the eye.

“I want to look at Oscar, really look him in the eyes, and see for myself the truth about what he did to Reeva,” she was quoted as saying.

“And whatever the court decides at the end of his trial, I will be ready to forgive him.”

Also in court was Pistorius’s sister Aimee, his advocate Barry Roux, police investigating officer Vineshkumar Moonoo, and Captain Mike van Aardt who was expected to testify for the State.

Excited chatter rose from the journalists in the public gallery, where the benches were rapidly filling up by 9am.

Roux was already behind his podium, arranging a box of files. He will try to prove that Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp by mistake, after he thought she was an intruder.

Pistorius, 27, is accused of murdering Steenkamp at his Pretoria home last year. He faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.

Tweet: The Times reporter ‏@GraemeHosken #OscarPistorius legal teams of both parties appear to have gone to the judge’s chambers

Tweet: TMG Oscar ‏@OscarsTrial Sitting next to a member of the public who’s giving his two cents worth – get the feeling he’s on Pistorius’ side #whiskeybreath

STEENKAMP FAMILY ENTER COURT – Sapa

Reeva Steenkamp’s mother June and other family members began entering courtroom GD in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday before 9am, ahead of Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial.

Steenkamp’s lawyer Dup de Bruyn was also inside the court room, as was cellphone records expert Captain Francois Moller.

A throng of journalists began entering the courtroom at 8.23am.

Police investigating officer Vineshkumar Moonoo and Captain Mike van Aardt were also present.

Pistorius, 27, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home last year. He faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State. The trial was due to start at 10am.

Tweet: TMG Oscar ‏@OscarsTrial Oscar’s brother Carl and sister Aimee have arrived #iseverybodyinyet…not quite

Tweet: The Times reporter ‏@GraemeHosken June Steenkamp sitting in the front of pretoria high court awaiting the appearance of her daughter’s killer

MEDIA ENTER PISTORIUS COURTROOM – Sapa

Accredited journalists began entering courtroom GD at 8:42am at the High Court in Pretoria on Monday ahead of paralympian Oscar Pistorius’s murder trial.

The first row in the courtroom was reserved for family and the prosecution team.

Pistorius, 27, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home last year. He faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State. The trial was due to start at 10am.

SNIFFER DOG TAKEN INTO COURT – Sapa

A sniffer dog was led into the High Court in Pretoria on Monday morning ahead of the appearance of murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius.

Five step ladders had been set up at the entrance of the court by photographers wanting to get a better view during the day.

Two police cars were stationed outside the courthouse and a few metro officers were milling around.

Pistorius, 27, is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his Pretoria home in February last year. He faces charges of premeditated murder and contravening the Firearms Control Act in a trial which is expected to last at least three weeks.

The proceedings in the wood-panelled courtroom will be broadcast live on television and radio, with the initial indictment listing 107 witnesses to testify for the State.[/full]

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