Oscar Pistorius live: Murder trial continues as athlete's lawyers slam leaked video

The Paralympian's legal team are furious that footage of him reenacting the moment he shot Reeva has emerged

Reuters

On trial: Oscar Pistorius denies the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year

 While we're waiting for the trial to resume, it emerged overnight that June Steenkamp has said she 'forgives' Oscar Pistorius for killing her daughter.

But Reeva's mum added the beautiful, blonde South African model will only rest in peace when the paralympian's murder trial is over, she says.

June Steenkamp told Hello! magazine: "I don't hate Oscar. I've forgiven him. I have to - that's my religion."

Read the full story here.

Hello! Magazine/PA

June and Barry Steenkamp who appear in this week's edition of Hello!

 

10:13 am

And with that Gerrie Nel asks for a tea break.

He will continue questioning Prof Derman in about 20 minutes.

10:13 am

Derman explaining that people with disabilities are more vulnerable to violent crimes the world over.

Nel: "You concede he's less vulnerable with a gun?"

Derman: "He might indeed be less vulnerable but how much less vulnerable I do not know."

10:09 am

Nel questions American stats referred to about disabled victims of crime suffering from cognitive and/or visually impairment.

Nel tells Derman this is about "hate crime" and isn't relevant to the case.

10:00 am

Nel asking Derman if he ever considered the state's case, or that Pistorius might be lying.

 "Of course I have," he snaps in reply.

He says that any evidence he has given is open to cross-examination.

9:54 am

Getty

Oscar Pistorius hugs a woman as he sits in the dock

This was Pistorius hugging a woman as he sat in the dock earlier.

It's not entirely clear who this woman is.

We will try and find out.

9:50 am

Nel talking to Derman about the "flight or fight" response.

He says it's present in everyone.

He agrees that Pistorius had the option to flee on the night in question.

Derman adds that Pistorius' ability to flee isn't the same as everybody else, though.

9:46 am

The Steenkamp family sitting impassively in the public gallery.

9:44 am

A lot of discussion here about Pistorius running.

The reason, as Andrew Harding points out, is whether he can run without putting a hand on the wall.

9:40 am

The debate about the leaking of the Pistorius video continues to rage online.

The thoughts here of South African criminal expert James Grant on Twitter.

9:37 am

Pistorius family in court again today.

9:36 am

Nel asks Derman if he knows whether Pistorius is able to run without having his hand against the wall.

Derman agrees he doesn't know.

9:31 am

Derman says Pistorius cannot run on his stumps.

The definition is that both limbs have to be off the ground at the same time and that's not possible.

Nel asks if he thinks Pistorius could walk backwards on his stumps.

Derman says he doesn't see why not.

9:30 am

Nel asking Prof Derman now about him describing in court how Pistorius ran.

He confirms that Pistorius demonstrated this to him in chambers.

"I wanted to gauge by what he meant by run," Prof Derman says.

9:27 am

Nel refers to South Africa's Health Professions Act, which states that psychological scores can only be interpreted by psychology professionals.

The judge is annoyed that everyone doesn't have copies of this.

Nel says he will sort this.

9:23 am

This was Oscar Pistorius arriving at court earlier this morning.

9:21 am

Prof Derman getting a bit hacked off now.

He makes a comment about it not taking "a genius" to have made that finding.

Nel ticks him off for making a "sarcastic" remark and said, the point is it takes a "psychologist" top interpret the results.

9:19 am

Nel is still pressing Prof Derman on why he made comments about the psychiatric report.

He says it is not "foreign" to him and he has done his own research on anxiety and depression.

9:14 am

Nel says state appointed psychiatrist doesn't agree with Derman reading of Pistorius' anxiety scores.

Oldwadge wants to know if she' ll be called.

Nel says he doesn't have to reveal that.

He rephrases the question.

9:05 am

Nel asking Dr Derman if he feels "qualified" to comment on a psychiatrist's findings.

Dr Derman admits he read the findings of Pistorius' report before giving evidence.

9:03 am

Nel trying to establish that Dr Derman is not an "objective" physician.

He agrees he would not have given evidence for a family member.

Nel asks what the distinction is between Pistorius, a close friend, and a family member.

8:58 am

Pistorius has his head down as Nel tears into Dr Derman.

He is saying the professor's evidence has been "totally subjective".

8:56 am

Nel asking if the doctor was asked to read the bail application.

Eventually he agrees he was.

Nel says it was not the bail application he was given.

It was a statement.

8:54 am

Professor Derman has read relevant parts of the record referred to him by counsel.

He says it was from Thursday and Friday's proceedings.

8:52 am

Nel accepting that he should have made the point about whether Pistorius was running "more clear".

Professor Wayne Derman now continues his evidence.

8:49 am

This is very tedious.

Kenny Oldwage is trying desperately to explain his problem to the judge.

She doesn't seem sure what he's talking about. Neither does anyone else.

8:43 am

Incidentally, Reuters has just obtained a response from Channel 7, the Australian channel which broadcast the leaked video of Pistorius reenacting the moment he shot Reeva.

The channel has defended their actions and called the programme a "significant investigation" by award-winning journalists.

"We would not have run the footage if we thought we had obtained it illegally," the network said in a statement.

"The story was run in Australia only and not made available in any other territory."

8:40 am

Kenny Oldwage and Gerrie Nel are debating a reference to Pistorius running in the court record.

It's very bad-tempered.

Nel says he was told he should apologise and he will do no such thing.

"I never said that" shouts Oldwage.

8:37 am

We're back up and running.

8:07 am

Court will be back underway soon.

Unsurprisingly, the leaked video is the talk of the town today.

7:35 am

Pistorius lawyers said the footage was filmed by a US company, and an agreement was in place that it could not be broadcast until after the trial.

They insist Channel Seven bought it "illegally" and are taking legal action.

In the programme, a US forensic investigator insisted the evidence supports Pistorius' version of events.

7:31 am

It's likely to be a lively day in court today.

Pistorius' legal team are said to be furious after footage was leaked of the runner reenacting the moment he shot Reeva.

A video shows the athlete running on his stumps before miming shooting a gun.

In other scenes, the 27-year-old drags a woman, playing the role of Reeva, from a toilet and carries her down the stairs.

Wearing a blue Nike vest and Lycra shorts, Pistorius also peers around a corner near a fireplace and retreats.

The reconstruction of the tragic events of Valentine's Day last year have been dubbed a 'world exclusive' and featured in a documentary about the Paralympian's murder trial on Australia's Channel 7.

CHANNEL 7 SUNDAY NIGHT/YAHOO!7 NEWS

Oscar Pistorius reenacts scene of Reeva Steenkamp's killing in strange video

 

7:27 am

Welcome to our live blog where we will be continuing our coverage of the trial of Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius.

The double amputee athlete shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year.

He insists it was a tragic accident when he mistook her for an intruder.

Prosecutors say it was murder.

Today, his defence lawyers will continue to call their final witnesses.