Pistorius hires US forensic experts
Print Edition
Oscar Pistorius’ lawyers are working with a team of American forensic specialists to help prepare the double-amputee Olympian’s defense, and likely counter any evidence given by the nearly 50 police officers and criminal experts that prosecutors could call at his murder trial early next year.
The US forensic team is now in South Africa, Pistorius’ spokeswoman said yesterday, although she could not give any details of their identities or areas of expertise, or if they would stay for the trial, which begins in March and has been scheduled to last just over two weeks.
“A team of forensic specialists from the United States is currently in the country working with Oscar’s defense team,” spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess said. “We don’t want to go into great detail about this except to say it is very standard practice to work with specialists from various fields in preparation for any trial.”
Pistorius will go on trial at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria from March 3, accused of premeditated murder in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his house on February 14. The 26-year-old athlete, for years the inspiring poster image of disabled sport, faces a possible life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison if convicted. He could also be convicted of a lesser murder charge that has a 15-year mandatory sentence, or even of culpable homicide or negligent killing, which has a five-year prison term in South Africa if a firearm is used.
South African police took six months to investigate the shooting before indicting Pistorius in August.
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