Oscar Pistorius Trial: Blade Runner Apologizes To Reeva Steenkamp's Family And Cannot Sleep? [VIDEO]
Oscar Pistorius took the stand in a South Africa court room on Monday to apologize to Reeva Steenkamp's family and to give his side of the Valentine's Day horror for the very first time.
Pistorius, also known as the Blade Runner, was extremely upset as he took the stand Monday. There were no visual recording of his testimony, per his request, however audio recording was allowed as he spoke for the first time on what happened since the trial started at the end of February. All eyes were on him as the broken and troubled man took the stand.
If convicted for the alleged premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, he could face up to 25 years in prison. He said that he thought Reeva was an intruder.
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He was adamant about beginning with an apology to Steenkamp's family, who sat in the crowded courtroom.
"There hasn't been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven't thought about your family," said the 27-year-old South African Paralympic runner. "I wake up every morning and you're the first people I think of, the first people I pray for."
He went on to explain that he grew up with fear of intruders, as his mother often slept with a gun under her pillow because of his fathers' frequent travels, adding another layer to the reason why he may have been so paranoid.
"She often got scared at night. We didn't live in the best of areas. There was a lot of crime. She would call the police, call us to her room and we would wait for the police to arrive," he told the court.
Pistorius, who is having difficulty sleeping and is on anti-depressants, will continue to stand trial as a professor and retired pathologist will serve as a witness for the defense tomorrow.
To hear the audio for yourself, watch below.
ABC US News
