Pistorius trial: Witness ‘heard screams’

The Oscar Pistorius murder trial is set to begin with the Olympian facing a life sentence if convicted.

Trial begins ... South African amputee Olympian sprinter Oscar Pistorius (left) arrives, watched by June Steenkamp (right), mother of Reeva Steenkamp, in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

SOUTH African Paralympian star Oscar Pistorius pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend as his trial opened with a neighbour's account of "bloodcurdling'' screams before shots rang out on the night of the killing.

Pistorius, whose trial is being broadcast live around the world, faces a life sentence if convicted of the fatal Valentine's Day shooting of model and reality television star Reeva Steenkamp a year ago.

Staring him down ... June Steenkamp (2nd L), mother of Reeva Steenkamp, dries her eyes on the opening day of the trial. Source: AFP

After a state prosecutor charged that Pistorius "unlawfully and intentionally did kill'' Steenkamp, he entered a plea of "not guilty, my lady''.

Pistorius, 27, a double amputee sporting hero known as the "Blade Runner'' for his carbon-fibre running blades, also pleaded not guilty to three unrelated gun charges.

A single judge, Thokozile Masipa, is presiding in the case that has already been likened to the murder trial of American footballer OJ Simpson over the killing of his ex-wife and a friend in 1995.

Global interest ... Oscar Pistorius, front left, arrives for his trial at the high court in Pretoria flanked by media. Source: AP

In a statement read out by his lawyer Kenny Oldwage, Pistorius described her death as a "tragic accident'' saying he had mistaken his 29-year-old lover for an intruder.

He admitted killing Steenkamp, but denied murderous intent. "This allegation is denied in the strongest terms,'' he said. "We were in a loving relationship.''

The first prosecution witness to take the stand, Michelle Burger, said she and her husband were awoken at around 3am by "bloodcurdling screams'' coming from the Pistorius home in an up-market Johannesburg gated community.

READ: OSCAR PISTORIUS — WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?

"She screamed terribly and she yelled for help,'' the university economist said. "It was something you can't explain to someone else, how anxious those screams were.''

"Just after her screams, I heard shots, four shots,'' she said, describing one clear shot then three clustered together.

"Bang ... bang, bang, bang.''

"I heard petrified screaming before the gunshots, and just after the gunshots,'' she said when pressed by Pistorius's lawyer.

A mother's anguish ... June Steenkamp (centre), the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives at North Gauteng High Court. Source: Getty Images

Advocate Barry Roux challenged Ms Burger over potential inconsistencies, asking in particular why she heard four gunshots but her husband, who is yet to testify, reported hearing five or six.

The trial was adjourned until Tuesday when the defence will continue cross examining Ms Burger.

Monday marked the first time the victim's mother June came face-to-face with Pistorius since the killing.

"I want to look at Oscar, really look him in the eyes, and see for myself the truth about what he did to Reeva,'' she told a British newspaper ahead of the trial.

Agonising wait ... Oscar Pistorius looks on in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

Further down from her on the wood-panelled bench sat Pistorius's brother Carl, sister Aimee and a handful other relatives.

The state is seeking to prove that Pistorius killed Steenkamp in a rage after the couple quarrelled in the early hours of February 14, 2013.

Prosecutors are also expected to claim that Pistorius had watched pornography just before the shooting, apparently contradicting his account of events.

The athlete, the first double amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes at the London 2012 Olympics, will also be asked why he allegedly told security guards at his luxury estate that everything was fine when they phoned after hearing gunshots.

In a bid to illustrate a history of reckless behaviour with firearms, the state claims that Pistorius on two occasions fired a pistol in public, once through the sunroof of a moving car and then at a busy restaurant.

The state has an exhaustive list of 107 witnesses that includes the defendant's former girlfriends, though it is unlikely everyone will be called to testify.

If found guilty of premeditated murder, Pistorius faces 25 years in South Africa's notoriously brutal jails and an abrupt end to his glittering sporting career.

Legal advice ... Oscar Pistorius (right) speaks with his lawyer Barry Roux in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

The state has already admitted that ballistic tests suggest he might not have been wearing his prostheses when he fired the shots that killed Steenkamp, which removes a key argument for premeditation.

"Whatever the court decides at the end of his trial, I will be ready to forgive him ... But first I want to force him to look at me, Reeva's mother, and see the pain and anguish he has inflicted on me. I feel I need that.''

Pistorius arrived at the high court in Pretoria wearing a dark grey suit and black tie.

June Steenkamp was seated on the same bench as Pistorius' family, and behind Pistorius so there is a possibility that their eyes will lock during the trial.

Tough day ... Oscar Pistorius takes a moment to rehydrate in the High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

Prosecutors charged Pistorius, 27, with murder and say it was with premeditation. They say they will seek a life sentence if Pistorius is convicted.

The state says Pistorius intentionally killed Steenkamp by shooting her through a toilet door after an argument.

Pistorius denies murder and says he killed his girlfriend by mistake when he fired four times through the door thinking there was a dangerous intruder on the other side.

But, prosecutors say he had a heated row with his girlfriend in the hours before the shooting — with several witnesses claiming to have heard the couple arguing.

Betting agency Paddy Power caused uproar on the weekend when it opened up a market on the trial.

The agency has been criticised for offering customers a refund if Pistorius is found not guilty,

but the latest offer of "money back if he walks" has incensed people further.

Last month, Reeva's father Barry Steenkamp said he bore the athlete no animosity.

Pistorius broke down in tears in court when he was formally charged with Reeva's premeditated murder and Mr Steenkamp told the Daily Mail: "He must be going through things that we don't know about. There is no hatred in our hearts."

Yesterday he thanked the people that supported him since he shot dead his girlfriend in a message on his Facebook profile.

"Thank you for the continued support and words of encouragement during this difficult time," the post read.

Gone too soon ... Reeva Steenkamp with Oscar Pistorius in Johannesburg on January 26, 2013. Source: AFP

On Saturday, Pistorius's family issued a statement in which they reiterated their support for him, but they also called for an end to "public commentary" on his murder trial.

"With less than two days before the start of Oscar's criminal trial, the family as well as the legal team will not be distracted by extraneous issues that have no bearing on, or relevance to, the legal process that must now be allowed to unfold," his uncle Arnold Pistorius said.

"We will not be commenting on any media reports, nor will we be engaging the press on any issues that belong in court. The time for public commentary is over. The focus is now entirely on a very serious trial ... We love Oscar, and believe in him, and will be standing by him."

Family support ... police try to hold back the media as Carl Pistorius (centre) the brother of Oscar Pistorius, arrives at North Gauteng High Court. Source: Getty Images

Meanwhile, South African police who went to the US last week to ask Apple technicians to recover encrypted content from one of Pistorius's iPhones have retrieved crucial information from the device.

The three senior officers were able to retrieve text and WhatsApp messages from the phone, South Africa's Sunday Times reported yesterday.

The intense public interest in the Pistorius trial is shown by the launching Sunday night of a 24-hour cable channel devoted to covering the court case.

If convicted on the murder charge, Pistorius could be sent to prison for at least 25 years before the chance of parole, the minimum time someone must serve if given a life sentence in South Africa. He would be older than 50 before he could be released.

A lesser sentence is possible if Pistorius is found guilty of murder but without premeditation. He also could be convicted of culpable homicide, South Africa's version of manslaughter in which someone is killed through negligence.

As well as murder, Pistorius faces a second charge of illegal possession of ammunition for bullets found at his Pretoria house that he allegedly didn't have proper licensing for. Prosecutors say he also will be indicted tonight with two more gun charges relating to him allegedly shooting in public on two separate occasions before Reeva's killing.

Sisterhood ... members of South Africa's ruling African National Congress Women's League protest outside Pretoria's North Gauteng High Court. Source: AFP

Those incidents happened in the court jurisdiction of the city of Johannesburg, not where Reeva was killed in Pretoria, and prosecutors applied to have the two charges included and heard at his murder trial.

Female judge Thokozile Masipa will ultimately pronounce the champion runner innocent or guilty and will decide on any sentence. South Africa has no trial by jury.

Parts of the trial will be broadcast on live television, both in South Africa and across the world, and hundreds of reporters are expected to descend on North Gauteng High Court in the South African capital for the start of the trial. The 24-hour cable channel devoted solely to the trial will continue until the case is finished.

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