Oscar Trial: media warned
Media covering the murder trial of paralympian Oscar Pistorius were warned on Wednesday to be respectful in the High Court in Pretoria.
FILE PHOTO: Journalists work during a break in proceedings in the murder trial of South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius at the High Court in Pretoria. Picture: Kim Ludbrook/Pool
“Don’t be disrespectful… If the judge gets up to adjourn be quiet,” member of the prosecuting team Andrea Johnson said during a tea break.
“When a witness testifies we all need to hear… Do not murmur. We’ve got a long way to go.”
Johnson said it was important for the media to adhere to the rules of the court.
She said when there were murmurs in court the State and defence moved forward to hear and this should not be necessary.
Shortly after the warning, Judge Thokozile Masipa entered court and reminded blood spatter expert Colonel Ian van der Nest that he was still under oath.
Pistorius is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Law-graduate Steenkamp was shot dead in his Pretoria home on February 14, 2013.
At his bail hearing last year Pistorius submitted that he thought Steenkamp was an intruder.
Steenkamp’s mother June Steenkamp was present in court this week. She occasionally looked down as the wounds to her daughter were explained.
– Sapa
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