Psychologist first on stand in Pistorius sentencing
JOBURG - The psychologist for the paralympian, Oscar Pistorius, was the defence's first witness to testify at the sentencing.
Dr Lore Hartzenberg told the North Gauteng High Court that Oscar Pistorius had been forever changed by the tragic events of 13 February 2013. She described Pistorius as “irritable, anxious and hyper-vigilant….we are left with a broken man who has lost everything”.
Hartzenberg stated she had trauma counselling sessions, which began as grief counselling, with the athlete for the past 18 months. She said some sessions had to be stopped as the athlete would cry inconsolably or keep retching.
The state’s prosecutor Gerrie Nel cross-examined Hartzenberg and asked her if Pistorius had given any indication of continuing with his athletics career again. She said they never had that conversation. Nel asked if the doctor knew anything about Steenkamp (Barry Steenkamp] and the fact that due to the trauma of what had happened to his daughter, he had a stroke.
Nel stated that Hartzenberg’s report was one sided. She replied that she only spoke to Oscar Pistorius, and could not comment on the Steenkamp family as she had not had sessions with them.
