Oscar Pistorius accused of 'premeditated' murder

The doubleamputee Olympian and Paralympian quotBlade Runnerquot is seeking bail at the Pretoria court hearing which revealed startlingly different accounts from the prosecution and defence about how his covergirl law graduate lover Reeva Steenkamp was killed Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said Pistorius armed himself put on his prostheses walked seven metres and fired four shots through a locked bathroom door at his luxury Pretoria home hitting a terrified Steenkamp three times and fatally wounding her quotShe could go nowherequot he said adding that Pistorius had quotshot and killed unarmed innocent womanquot He said Steenkamp 29 had arrived at Pistorius39s home on Wednesday evening with an overnight bag seeking to counter claims that the athlete had mistaken her for an intruder As the court hearing was under way in the South African capital Steenkamp was being laid to rest at a private ceremony in her hometown of Port Elizabeth Pistorius wearing a black suit blue shirt and grey tie for his second court hearing since the February 14 shooting broke down in sobs every time Steenkamp39s name was mentioned The 26yearold who became an inspiration to millions when he became the first double amputee to run against ablebodied athletes at last year39s Olympics spoke only to confirm he had no previous convictions Oscar Pistorius Pic AFP quotYes your worshipquot he said in a shaking voice Magistrate Desmond Nair asked Pistorius to speak up and he repeated the phrase louder Pistorius39s heavyweight legal team rejected claims that the killing was premeditated quotWe submit it39s not even a murder There39s no concession that it39s murderquot said lawyer Barry Roux Roux challenged the claim that Pistorius put on his prostheses before shooting and argued the runner believed the person in the bathroom to be an intruder quotI will put before court case after case where husbands through accident shot wives believing it was an intruderquot said Roux quotIs that now preplanned murderquot Roux also claimed Pistorius had broken down the door to help Steenkamp Defence lawyers are expected to argue that Pistorius should be freed pending trial but the state has said it would oppose bail The killing has put Pistorius39s career on hold forcing him to cancel races in Australia Brazil Britain and the United States between March and May The Johannesburgborn athlete whose nickname was inspired by his custombuilt carbonfibre running blades had both legs amputated below the knee when he was 11 months old after being born without lower leg bones In Port Elizabeth Steenkamp39s coffin with white flowers laid on top was carried into the chapel at the crematorium as sombrefaced mourners exchanged hugs quotIt39s kind of only sinking in now that I39m actually here that she39s really gonequot said Bongiwe Gaxambaa one of Steenkamp39s classmates at a local private Catholic school In an interview published on Monday Steenkamp39s mother described Reeva39s death as quothorrendousquot quotWhy my little girl Why did this happen Why did he do thisquot June Steenkamp told the Times of South Africa quotShe had so much of herself to give and now all that is gone Just like that she is gone In the blink of an eye and a single breath the most beautiful person who ever lived is no longer herequot The family said bore the runner no grudge but wanted clarity about Steenkamp39s death quotThe family haven39t got that animosity or hatred or anything like that but questions and we realise that it39s going to come outquot Reeva39s uncle Michael Steenkamp told AFP On Saturday a celebrity television show aired haunting footage of Steenkamp speaking about the need to leave a positive mark on life words laden with poignancy after her death quotNot just your journey in life but the way that you go out and make your exit is so important you have either made an impact in a positive way or a negative wayquot she said Pistorius who off the track has a rocky private life of rash behaviour beautiful women guns and fast cars has built up a powerful team of lawyers medical specialists and public relations experts for his defence Stuart Higgins a former editor of British tabloid The Sun whose lengthy list of clients includes British Airways Chelsea FC and Manchester United football club has taken over his public relations One of his lawyers Kenny Oldwage defended the driver in a 2010 accident that killed former president Nelson Mandela39s greatgrandchild Zenani The driver was acquitted