Oscar Pistorius was emotional at times when he took the stand Monday and apologized to the friends and family of Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend he fatally shot on Valentine's Day 2013.
The double-amputee Olympic sprinter has pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder and says he shot Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder. Prosecutors say he intentionally pulled the trigger following a heated argument.
Here are the top five moments from his testimony Monday (his is expected to be back on the stand Tuesday morning):
An apology: Pistorius started with a direct message to Steenkamp’s family and friends: "I wake up every morning and you're the first people I think of, the first people I pray for," he told them. "I can't imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness I have caused you and your family. I was simply trying to protect Reeva. I promise that when she went to bed that night, she felt loved."
Nightmares and sleeping problems: "I have terrible nightmares about things that happened that night where I wake up and I smell, I can smell... I can smell blood and I wake up to being terrified." Pistorius said he has been prescribed an anti-depressant and a sleep aid.
The victim of many crimes: Pistorius tried to show how vulnerable he is to intruders by describing the many crimes that affected him and his family. He described a time when they were on vacation and his father’s house was “ransacked.” The sofas and mattresses were torn open: “What wasn’t taken was destroyed.” He also said his own home was burglarized and that he was followed many times and even had someone shoot at him on the highway.
A change in behavior: Pistorius was in an induced coma following a boating accident that also badly damaged his face. “I think I was just a lot more vigilant about losing my life after that. I became a bit fearful. I became quite withdrawn,” he said.
A couple that prayed together: “When I met Reeva, I think it was just a blessing,” Pistorius said. “I’ve always wanted to have a partner that was a Christian. She was a very strong Christian.” He also said Steenkamp would pray for him and that the two would pray together before meals.
The double-amputee Olympic sprinter has pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder and says he shot Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder. Prosecutors say he intentionally pulled the trigger following a heated argument.
An apology: Pistorius started with a direct message to Steenkamp’s family and friends: "I wake up every morning and you're the first people I think of, the first people I pray for," he told them. "I can't imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness I have caused you and your family. I was simply trying to protect Reeva. I promise that when she went to bed that night, she felt loved."
Nightmares and sleeping problems: "I have terrible nightmares about things that happened that night where I wake up and I smell, I can smell... I can smell blood and I wake up to being terrified." Pistorius said he has been prescribed an anti-depressant and a sleep aid.
The victim of many crimes: Pistorius tried to show how vulnerable he is to intruders by describing the many crimes that affected him and his family. He described a time when they were on vacation and his father’s house was “ransacked.” The sofas and mattresses were torn open: “What wasn’t taken was destroyed.” He also said his own home was burglarized and that he was followed many times and even had someone shoot at him on the highway.
A change in behavior: Pistorius was in an induced coma following a boating accident that also badly damaged his face. “I think I was just a lot more vigilant about losing my life after that. I became a bit fearful. I became quite withdrawn,” he said.
A couple that prayed together: “When I met Reeva, I think it was just a blessing,” Pistorius said. “I’ve always wanted to have a partner that was a Christian. She was a very strong Christian.” He also said Steenkamp would pray for him and that the two would pray together before meals.
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