Oscar Pistorius began testifying at his murder trial in South Africa today, emotionally describing his night terrors and inability to sleep since he shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.
The famed 'blade runner' began his testimony in Pretoria with an apology to Steenkamp's family.
'There hasn't been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven't thought about your family,' he said.
The double-amputee athlete said he wanted to protect Steenkamp. He has said he killed her by mistake. Prosecutors say he killed her after an argument.
Pistorius said he is taking antidepressant medication and that he has sometimes woken up in terror, suffering from panic attacks.
He is charged with premeditated murder for the nighttime killing last year, and faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted. The court proceeding is being televised, but Pistorius himself does not appear on camera, as is his right under South African law.
The court adjourned for lunch at 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET) and was expected to resume after the midday break.
Pistorius said he cannot handle or be near firearms since the shooting.
From there, the questioning moved quickly into Pistorius's childhood and relations with his family.
'I grew up in a loving home,' he said. He was asked at length about the amputation of his legs below the knee as a child and his successes as a young athlete thanks to prosthetic devices. Pathologist testifies
Earlier, the defence called a pathologist in an effort to cast doubt on the prosecution's assertion that Steenkamp ate no more than two hours before the double-amputee runner killed her.
The testimony by Prof. Jan Botha was critical to the defence because Pistorius has claimed the couple was in his bedroom by 10 p.m. on Feb. 13, 2013, and any indication that the two were awake much later could undermine the Olympian's account of the sequence of events.
Pistorius fatally shot Steenkamp after 3 a.m. the next day, saying he mistook her for an intruder in his home. The prosecution has argued that he intentionally killed her after an argument.
Botha said the time frame of digestion was difficult to assess because of variations in many factors, including the volume of food consumed, its caloric content and the psychology of the person who was eating. The testimony countered statements by a pathologist called by the prosecution who said that, judging by the food contents in her stomach, Steenkamp probably last ate no more than two hours before her death.
Botha's testimony followed four weeks of prosecution-led testimony and a week's adjournment after one of the judge's aides fell ill. He was allowed to take the stand first and ahead of Pistorius in an agreement with prosecutors because of a family illness. Defendants who choose to testify normally go first in South Africa.
Defence lawyer Barry Roux said he would call between 14 and 17 witnesses.
Over the first four weeks of the trial, the prosecution made its case against the former Olympic and Paralympic runner. The Pretoria court heard testimony from neighbours and experts, sometimes hearing graphic details of the injuries Steenkamp suffered.
Judge Thokozile Masipa is presiding over the case. She will decide Pistorius's fate as South Africa does not have trials by jury.
With files from CBC News
Post By http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/oscar-pistorius-murder-trial-pistorius-apologizes-1.2600606
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