Pistorius was on his stumps when he opened fire, says expert

Captain Christian Mangena said Pistorius was most likely not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot Reeva Steenkamp

A key police ballistics expert said Oscar Pistorius was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot his girlfriend, as the athlete's trial continued in South Africa.

The police officer was giving evidence on the trajectory of the bullets which killed Reeva Steenkamp.
Mr Pistorius denies murdering the model on Valentine's Day 2013, saying he thought she was an intruder.

The prosecution says he intentionally shot her after an argument.

On day 13 of the trial, Captain Christian Mangena said analysis of the crime scene and his subsequent tests suggested that Mr Pistorius was not wearing the prostheses when he fired the fatal shots.
Correspondents say whether or not Mr Pistorius was on his prosthetic limbs when he fired his gun is important because it lends support to the defence team's insistence that the shooting was not premeditated.


 
 Oscar Pistorius sat with his fingers in his ears as details of Reeva Steenkamp's injuries were read out
Capt Mangena also said that while he had not been able to determine the exact distance, the evidence pointed to the shots having been fired from a position greater than 60cm (23 inches) away from the toilet door but no further than 3m.

Correspondents say this is in line with the athlete's testimony that he pulled the trigger while standing at the entrance to the bathroom.

Explaining the trajectory of the bullets, Capt Mangena said that Ms Steenkamp, 29, was standing up in the toilet cubicle when she was hit in the right hip by the first of four bullets.

He said she then fell backwards before being hit in the arm and the head by the last two bullets fired by Mr Pistorius through the wooden door as she crossed both hands over her head to protect herself.

Double tap?

Contradicting the athlete's testimony that the shots had been fired in close succession, Capt Mangena said there had been a short break between the first and second shots and that the second bullet missed Ms Steenkamp.

Correspondents said this corroborates the evidence given by a neighbour who said that she heard a shot, then a pause, then three further shots.

But defence lawyer Barry Roux contested Capt Mangena's evidence on the timing, maintaining that the bullets could have been fired in quick succession using a "double tap" technique - where the trigger is pulled in quick succession.

Capt Mangena insisted this was "impossible", saying that if this had been the case then Ms Steenkamp's wounds would have been in the same area of her body.

The trial is expected to call on more than 100 witnesses. It had been set to last for three weeks, but looks likely to be extended.

There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.

If found guilty, the 27-year-old - a national sporting hero and double amputee dubbed the "blade runner" because of the prosthetic limbs he wears to race - could face life imprisonment.