On Thursday, bloody photos of Reeva Steenkamp were shown in court before Pistorius became violently ill and vomited.
Pistorius looked drained, watching his defense lawyer cross-examine a police expert, who testified a day earlier on the door to the bathroom trying to discredit him. Barry Roux tapped at forensic expert J.G. Vermeulen’s testimony about the legality of evidence displayed by the gashes, dents and scratches on the door.
On Wednesday, Vermeulen, a police colonel, gave some of the murder trials most expressive testimony by swinging Pistorius’ bat at the bathroom door taken from Pistorius’ home. The officer closed by saying that Pistorius was on the stumps of his legs when he battered the door. The door is in court for the judge to see in the Pretoria courtroom.
Pistorius, 27, in court stated, that he bashed the door to get his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, who was 29, out of the locked bathroom by knocking a hole in it. The prosecution isn’t disputing that. The prosecution and defense don’t agree over the question of Pistorius having his prosthetic legs on at the time.
They also agree that on Valentine’s Day last year Pistorius killed his girlfriend after shooting four hollow-point bullets through a locked bathroom door. The state is arguing that the death of Steenkamp was deliberate murder, but Pistorius has said, that he thought Steenkamp was an intruder in his house in the middle of the night and the killing was a tragic accident. He also said that after he realized his mistake, he put his prosthetic legs on, before trying to whack the door down.
The prosecution’s arguments say that’s not how they believe it happened. They believe he was on stumps when he swung the bat. The viewpoint represents a change in direction for the prosecution, which previously held that Pistorius was wearing his prosthetic legs. If the testimony of police colonel Vermeulen is believed, Pistorius would look like he’s lying.
As photos of Steenkamps bloody body flashed by on the courtroom screen, Pistorius’ face sank into his hands. Later in the day more photos where shown, and that’s when Pistorius, who couldn’t take anymore, vomited.
Image credit: CNN