Pistorius witness still relives ‘terrifying screams’

PRETORIA: A key witness who testified to hearing screams then gunshots from Oscar Pistorius’ home the night his girlfriend was killed, broke down and wept in court Tuesday, saying she still relives the “terrifying screams” she heard.
In an emotive second day of the South African Paralympian’s murder trial, a shaken Michelle Burger sobbed after tough cross-examination, saying the events of Valentine’s Day 2013, when Reeva Steenkamp was killed, still haunted her.
“When I’m in the shower, I relive her shouts. The terrifying screams,” she told the North Gauteng High Court.
The university lecturer has testified that she heard screams, then gunshots, then more screams from Pistorius’s Pretoria home less than 200 meters (yards) away from her own.
Her account of events directly contradicts the sports star’s claim that he shot Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder.
Tuesday’s proceedings began with Pistorius’s lawyer redoubling efforts to pick apart Burger’s account of events, accusing her of jumping to conclusions.
“You made up your mind that his version could not be,” said defense advocate Barry Roux.
“You interpreted cricket bat shots to be gunshots and screaming to be a woman and not Oscar. If you didn’t do that, his version would make sense.” Criminal law advocate Dave Smith, who is not linked to the case, said that Burger “looks solid as a rock” in the witness stand.
“It’s important to prove her wrong but I don’t think he will,” he said. “I’m happy I’m not him.” Tensions in court were further heightened when a statement was read explaining the violent nature of the 29-year-old model and law graduate’s death.
As Roux claimed a gunshot wound to the head would have made it impossible for Steenkamp to scream, Pistorius bowed his head and folded his hands behind his neck.
“The person with that brain damage will have no cognitive response,” continued Roux. “It cannot be. She could not have screamed.” Prosecution lawyer Gerrie Nel interjected to say it was the last of four shots that struck Steenkamp’s head, the first two hitting her right side, the wall and her shoulder.
Meanwhile, across the court, one of Steenkamp’s relatives touched a photo of the budding reality TV star, as a man put his arm around her.
Pistorius, 27, a double amputee known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fiber running blades, has pleaded not guilty to murder and three unrelated gun charges.
While admitting killing Steenkamp, the sprinter described it as a “tragic accident,” denying murderous intent and saying “we were in a loving relationship.”
If found guilty of premeditated murder, Pistorius faces 25 years in South Africa’s notoriously brutal jails and an abrupt end to his glittering sporting career.
His defense came under further attack Tuesday when another neighbor Estelle van der Merwe, who lives less than 100 meters away, told the court she heard arguing coming from Pistorius’s home on February 14, 2013.
“I woke up the morning at 1:56am to sounds of someone talking loudly and fighting,” she told the court. “It lasted about an hour.” Later she recalled waking up to the sound of loud bangs.
Van der Merwe has yet to come under cross-examination.
As well as relentlessly trying to pick holes in the testimony of state witnesses, the defense is also expected to call into question the reliability of the prosecution’s forensics.
Pistorius walked free on bail a year ago as the chief detective and the prosecution’s star witness, Hilton Botha, was sacked amid a scandal over botched handling of evidence.
A single judge, Thokozile Masipa, aided by two assistants, will rule in the case, which has already been likened to the murder trial of American footballer OJ Simpson over the killing of his ex-wife and a friend in 1995.
With a landmark ruling allowing the trial to be partly televised, Masipa on Tuesday slammed the media for showing a photograph of Burger.
The witness had requested her image not be shown while the audio of her testimony was broadcast.
“I must say this is very disturbing, I am warning the media, if you do not behave, you will not be treated with soft gloves,” she warned.
The trial is expected to last three weeks.
Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people had signed a petition on Tuesday against an “offensive” advert by Irish bookmaker Paddy Power offering to refund losing bets made on a guilty verdict in the Oscar Pistorius trial if he walks free.
The ad shows an Oscar statuette with the face of the South African Paralympic athlete and the words: “It’s Oscar Time. Money Back If He Walks. We will refund all losing bets on the Oscar Pistorius trial if he is found not guilty.” No stranger to publicity stunts, Paddy Power timed the ad to coincide with Sunday’s Academy Awards and the start of Pistorius’ murder trial in Pretoria on Monday. He is accused of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day last year.
Campaigners against domestic violence have condemned the ad, which appeared in the Irish and British press.
By midday Tuesday, 105,000 people had signed an online petition demanding the bookmaker take no further bets on the trial.