Oscar Cries off Tuesday

Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial was again adjourned today after Oscar collapsed sobbing in the witness stand.

Starting where he and his advocate Barry Roux left off yesterday, Oscar replied to Roux’s leading questions in the same monotonous tone like someone who has learnt his lines.

Repeatedly asked to speak up by Roux and Judge Thokozile Masipa, Oscar coped well as Roux took him down memory lane, prompting him to recall intimate moments from his 3-month romance with Reeva.

For a moment it was almost as if Roux and Oscar were friends sharing confidences. Oscar told his advocate about his and Reeva’s similarities and of their differences of opinion. They talked of Valentine’s gifts, of tiffs and making up and of normal boyfriend-girlfriend stuff – but of course, there was nothing normal about what ensued that night when Oscar shot Reeva.

And it was in the telling of his version of events that he finally unravelled. He claimed that after he’d fired at the “intruder”, he realised Reeva wasn’t in bed. He searched his room and then found her in the toilet dying from the shots he had fired.

That’s when Oscar broke down hysterically.

Believe it or not?

I still find his wailing (“like a woman”?) disturbing and upsetting though of course his many detractors remain unaffected by what they perceive as his histrionics.

Whatever the truth, Oscar’s tears moved his sister, Aimee, who ran across the courtroom to hug her brother.

Gerrie Nel is no doubt exasperated. He’ll have to be patient. The trial resumes at 9h30 tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.