Pistorius in Court Charged With Girlfriend's Murder

South African sporting hero Oscar Pistorius insisted Tuesday he did not intend to kill his girlfriend after being accused of shooting her through a bathroom door in what prosecutors said was a "premeditated" murder. Shocked family members attended his bail hearing which was adjourned until Wednesday.

Published

4 months ago

Categories

Sports, World

Topics

Africa, Sports, Legal

People

Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp

Places

South Africa, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth

Transcript

SHOTLIST: PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA, FEBRUARY 19, 2013 SOURCE: AFPTV -Wide Pistorius in dock -CU Pistorius in dock -Pistorius leaving dock, camera flashes going off -Pistorius exiting through door SOUNDBITE 1 Adam Steenkamp (man), brother (English, 11 sec): "We're going to keep all the positive things that we remember and know about my sister and we will try and continue with the things that she tried to make better." -CU picture of Reeva Steenkamp -Pistorius' brother Carl comforting sister Aimee (x2) SOUNDBITE 2 Adam Steenkamp (man), brother (English, 5 sec): "We only have good memories of her and I think that's what we are all thinking." -Pistorius' family huddling -Carl speaking to relatives SOUNDBITE 3 Cousin of Reeva Steenkamp (woman)(English, 6 sec): "We know with her love that's in our hearts, it's going to stay in our hearts forever and that's something nobody will ever take from us." -Pistorius' father Henke being comforted -Pistorius's brother Carl shrugging -Photographers /// ------------------------------------ AFP TEXT STORY: SAfrica-sport-crime-funeral Pistorius girlfriend Steenkamp laid to rest =(PICTURE)= PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa, Feb 19, 2013 (AFP) - Reeva Steenkamp's cloth-draped coffin arrived at a South African chapel for her cremation Tuesday as the slain model's boyfriend Oscar Pistorius appeared in court charged with her murder. The coffin with white flowers laid on top was carried into the chapel at the crematorium in Port Elizabeth by six people. Sombre-faced mourners arrived for the private memorial and cremation at the chapel in a quiet location bordering a park in the coastal city where Steenkamp grew up. The 29-year-old law graduate and cover girl was gunned down at the upmarket Pretoria home of the Olympic and Paralympic star on Valentine's Day. "She was an angel," said Gavin Venter, an ex-jockey who worked with her race horse trainer father. Venter said there had been no indication that the glamorous model was troubled in her relationship with the double-amputee athlete known as "Blade Runner". "I asked her father, her father said no, she was very happy with Oscar, there was no problems, but maybe she was just hiding it away," he told journalists. Venter said he believed Pistorius, who has been accused of premeditated murder, should be denied bail. "I'm disgusted and he must be dealt with harshly," he said. "He's a danger to the public. He'll be a danger to witnesses, he must stay in jail, they mustn't release him." One of Steenkamp's classmates at a local private Catholic school, Bongiwe Gaxambaa, said she would remember her friend's smile, the way she got along with people, and her love and warmth for others. "It's kind of only sinking in now that I'm actually here, that she's really gone." "I wouldn't like him to get bail, just for justice to take its course," she said of Pistorius. jg/arb/txw