{"id":21990,"date":"2013-08-19T13:30:39","date_gmt":"2013-08-19T11:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/emotional-pistorius-will-go-on-trial-for-murder-in-march\/"},"modified":"2013-08-19T13:30:39","modified_gmt":"2013-08-19T11:30:39","slug":"emotional-pistorius-will-go-on-trial-for-murder-in-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/emotional-pistorius-will-go-on-trial-for-murder-in-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Emotional Pistorius will go on trial for murder in March"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t \"Oscar<\/a><\/p>\n

Oscar Pistorius at the Pretoria Magistrate\u2019s Court. Photo: AFP<\/p>\n

The high-speed clicking of cameras was the first indication today that paralympic running star Oscar Pistorius, accused of premeditated murder, had entered the Pretoria Magistrate\u2019s Court.<\/p>\n

On February 14, 2013, he fired four shots through a bathroom door in his Pretoria home and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He claims he mistook her for a burglar and acted in self-defence. Today would have been her 30th birthday.<\/p>\n

Journalists packed the tiny courtroom on Monday, while a live screening of the proceedings was set up in the adjacent courtroom.<\/p>\n

Pistorius cut a lonely figure in his blue shirt and dark suit. After entering the dock at 9.15am, he sat with his head bowed as his sister, Aimee, and brother, Carl, talked to him and prayed with him.<\/p>\n

He asked Pistorius if he was well, to which he replied softly: \u201cI\u2019m OK under the circumstances, your honour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gerrie Nel, the lead prosecuting officer in the case, said: \u201cThe matter should now be transferred to the high court. We have arranged the date; from March 3 to March 20 (2014)\u2026 The accused has indicated that he will arrange for his own defence and his own witnesses if there is a need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steenkamp\u2019s family were not in court on Monday. The family is in her hometown of Port Elizabeth where it is believed they were celebrating her birthday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will be doing something casual, baking a cake for her, being together as a family. We certainly won\u2019t be watching the trial. We will be thinking about her,\u201d Reeva\u2019s uncle, Mike Steenkamp, told the Daily Telegraph newspaper. \u2013 Reuters \/ Sapa<\/a><\/p>\n

For more breaking Oscar Pistorius news,\u00a0click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more breaking sporting news and views, visit MySport24 on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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