Oscar Pistorius Reenacts Night He Killed Reeva Steenkamp in Video
PRETORIA, South Africa— -- Video footage of Olympic paralympian Oscar Pistorius reenacting the night he shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp has emerged.
The video released by Australia’s Channel 7 shows Pistorius - wearing a green Nike vest and black running shorts - running awkwardly without his prostheses, with his right arm stretched out and his hand clenched as if holding a gun.
Several men - their faces blurred - can be seen directing the events. The video was shot last year by U.S. forensic animation and investigation company The Evidence Room.
Prosecutors allege Pistorius intentionally shot his model girlfriend on Valentine’s Day last year. The double-amputee sprinter says he thought there was an intruder in his home and fired in self-defense.
Another sequence of the video shows a bird's-eye view of Pistorius struggling on all fours to pull a dark-haired woman, believed to be his sister Aimee, out of a small toilet cubicle similar to the one in his home.
It is unclear why the reenactment was done or why it was not shown to the trial. It was reported before the trial that The Evidence Room was preparing an animated reenactment of the events of February 14 but no mention was made of it in court.
Pistorius’ legal team claimed in a statement that Channel 7 obtained the video illegally and that The Evidence Room breached a non-disclosure agreement.
The National Prosecuting Authority has declined to comment on the video.
If prosecutor Gerrie Nel wants to use the footage, he will have to apply to reopen the State’s case. The video material shows Pistorius far more mobile without his prosthetic legs than his defence team and expert witnesses have said.
Nel might also use the footage to question defence witness Dr. Wayne Derman when he resumes his cross-examination of the South African Paralympic team doctor on Monday.
