Oscar Pistorius Sickened by Pictures of Girlfriend's Bloody Face
PRETORIA, South Africa March 13, 2014— -- Oscar Pistorius cried and vomited in court for a second time today when close-up photos of his slain girlfriend's face inadvertently popped up on a screen showing evidence during his murder trial.
After composing himself, the paralympian Blade Runner sat with his head in his hands, holding sheets of paper over his head.
The latest dramatic reaction by Pistorius came as police forensics investigator Johannes Vermeulen was testifying about his findings when the person operating the Power Point presentation in quick succession scrolled through several crime scene photos. One of them unmistakably was the half naked body of Reeva Steenkamp, Pistorius' model girlfriend who he is charged with killing.
An audible gasp was heard from the gallery when the photo popped up. Pistorius, who has a viewing screen right in front of his face, dropped his head in his hands.
When a similar glitch was repeated, showing close-ups of Steenkamp's bloodied face, Pistorius started crying and vomiting.
Pistorius got sick in court earlier in the week during testimony describing Steenkamp's wounds. The testimony was so grisly the judge ordered that it not be recorded and forbade the media from blogging or tweeting the details. He has been provided with a bucket underneath his table.
At other times during the trial Pistorius has cried, put his hands over his ears and stuck his fingers in his ears during testimony about that night.
G.S. Van Rensburg, a former police colonel who was one of the first responders to Pistorius' home after the shooting, told the court about the blood-splattered scene.
The colonel said he saw Steenkamp's body covered in towels and there were plastic bags nearby, which he said he was told were used to try and stop the bleeding.
It was not a day for the squeamish in court. Earlier today, a photograph of Pistorius' bloodied prosthetic legs was shown by his defense attorney.
Lawyer Barry Roux showed the graphic photo to prove that the athlete was wearing his legs, as he says, when he bashed in a bathroom door with a cricket bat to try and help Steenkamp, who was mortally wounded.
On Wednesday, an officer got on his knees for a re-enactment in front of Pistorius' bathroom door, which was brought into court, in an attempt to prove the paralympian was on his stumps when he smashed the door.
Pistorius, 27, is accused of shooting Steenkamp on Feb. 14, 2013 while she cowered behind a locked bathroom door. He claims it was a case of mistaken identity and that he thought there was an intruder in his home.
Pistorius could face at least 25 years in prison if he is convicted.
