Nel begins questioning pathologist – Oscar trial
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel began cross-examining the defence's forensic pathologist in Oscar Pistorius's murder trial in the High Court in Pretoria on Monday.
FILE PICTURE: State prosecutor Gerrie Nel is seen during the Oscar Pistorius murder trial at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, Thursday, 13 March 2014. The Paralympian pleaded not guilty to murder, although he admits killing Reeva Steenkamp by shooting her through a locked bathroom door. He mistook her for a burglar in his house, saying he made a tragic but understandable mistake. The murder trial has been compared to that of the OJ Simpson case in the United States 20 years ago. Picture: Alet Pretorius/Media24/Pool
Unlike when he led State witnesses in giving evidence, Nel raised his voice, spoke rapidly, and turned and pointed at Jan Botha as he questioned him.
Nel and Botha became involved in a brief debate on the “collar of abrasion” left in Reeva Steenkamp’s hip by the first bullet that Pistorius shot at her through the locked toilet door of his home on February 14 last year.
“A collar of abrasion” is caused when a bullet strikes a body at an angle.
“Bring me any publication where somebody would support you that you can make any conclusion about the collar of abrasion after it has passed through a door,” Nel challenged Botha.
Nel quoted from State witness Prof Gert Saayman’s evidence that the collar was “irregular”. Saayman conducted the autopsy on Steenkamp.
“What do you mean by irregular?” Botha snapped at him.
“Was it irregular because it wasn’t concentric or because the margins differed considerably?” Botha persisted.
“We’ll deal with that,” Nel replied tersely.
Pistorius has been charged with the murder of Steenkamp and contraventions of the Firearms Control Act. He allegedly fired a shot from a Glock pistol under a table at a Johannesburg restaurant in January 2013.
On September 30, 2012 he allegedly shot through the open sunroof of a car with his 9mm pistol while driving with friends in Modderfontein.
– Sapa
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