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Oscar Pistorius sentencing proceedings begin
Sentencing procedures for Oscar Pistorius's culpable homicide conviction began in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday morning.
FILE PICTURE: Defence lawyer Barry Roux is seen during judgment in the murder trial of paralympian Oscar Pistorius at the High Court in Pretoria on Friday, 12 September 2014. Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide. Judge Thokozile Masipa further ruled that he was acquitted on charges of illegal possession of ammunition and one of the charges on the illegal discharge of a firearm in a public place.But he was found guilty on the illegal discharge of a firearm in a restaurant called Tashas in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg in January 2013.Picture:Alon Skuy/Times Media Group/Pool
His lawyer Barry Roux called the first witness, psychologist Dr Lore Hartzenberg.
Pistorius arrived earlier amid heavy security. He was escorted by a group of police wearing bulletproof jackets while a media contingent swarmed around him.
When he arrived in court, Pistorius mouthed “morning” to Reeva Steenkamp’s parents June and Barry, who did not respond.
Before his arrival security guards wheeled out a bag scanner and a walk-through metal detector to the entrance of the court GD. This was the first time the devices were placed at the court room.
Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide on September 12 for the shooting of Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.
Judge Thokozile Masipa found him not guilty of murdering Steenkamp, but convicted him of culpable homicide.
Former soccer player Marc Batchelor and Steenkamp’s Johannesburg “family” the Myers, arrived in court earlier.
Pistorius previously allegedly threatened to break Batchelor’s legs, and Batchelor made threats in return. This was after Pistorius found out his girlfriend at the time had been allegedly cheating on him with Batchelor’s friend, coal mining millionaire and TV producer Quinton van der Burgh.
Pistorius’s brother Carl arrived in crutches, after being involved in a car accident in August. His sister Aimee and father Henke were also in attendance.
His friend and business Kenny Kunene was also in court. He sat in the last row of the public gallery, wearing sunglasses and a white t-shirt with the words “the uncomfortable truth” on the front.
Pistorius shot Steenkamp through the locked door of the toilet in his Pretoria home, apparently thinking she was an intruder about to emerge and attack him.
She was hit in the hip, arm, and head.
Masipa said that there was no basis for the court to make the inference that Pistorius wanted to kill Steenkamp.
She said evidence showed that Pistorius acted negligently when he fired into the toilet door knowing there was someone behind it.
With regard to firearms-related charges, Masipa found Pistorius guilty of firing a Glock pistol belonging to his friend Darren Fresco under a table at Tasha’s restaurant in Johannesburg in January 2013.
However, she found him not guilty of shooting through the open sunroof of a car with his 9mm pistol while driving with Fresco and ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor in Modderfontein on September 30, 2012.
It was not known who the State and defence would call as witnesses on Monday.
– Sapa
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