The prosecution in the case against Oscar Pistorius is working hard to discredit not only his version of events leading up to his girlfriend’s death, but his character.
On the third day of the trial, a witness testified that Pistorius had fired a gun under questionable circumstances just one month prior to fatally shooting Reeva Steenkamp.
Boxer Kevin Lerena stated that Pistorius, himself, and two others were eating dinner at a Johannesburg restaurant.
Said the 21-year-old, “A shot went off in the restaurant, then there was just complete silence.” Lerena says that he looked down at his feet and observed a hole in the floor.
He said, “I had a little graze on my toe. I wasn’t hurt or injured.” He did observe that there was blood.
Darren Fresco, one of the four eating at the table, was the owner of the gun. He had passed the weapon to Pistorius under the table. Fresco mentioned that it was loaded. A few moments later, Pistorius allegedly fired.
12 years a slave – Oscar Winner
12 year in Prison – Oscar Pistorius
— Tommy Allan (@TomBoxingAsylum) March 5, 2014
Ukraine + 6.5 million people displaced in Syria + malnutrition. But still media talking about Oscar Pistorius.
— Michael Fabricant (@Mike_Fabricant) March 5, 2014
Oscar Pistorius Covers His Ears During Shooting Testimony – Oscar Pistorius covered his ears today as his… http://t.co/SBcniPQi67
— Brian Brown, Ph.D. (@BrianBrownNet) March 5, 2014
According to Lerena’s testimony, Pistorius apologized profusely and then asked the gun owner to “take the blame” for firing the weapon in public.
“‘Please…there’s too much media hype around me.'”
When the restaurant owner came over, Darren Fresco “took the blame”.
Although no one was seriously injured in this incident, it is an illustration of dangerous behavior (firing a weapon in public), dishonesty (forcing someone else to take the blame for his own actions), and most importantly, recklessly acting in a way that put the lives of others in jeopardy.
Oscar Pistorius is on trial for the Valentine’s Day 2013 killing of then girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius claimed that he had heard an intruder and fired his gun through the door of his bathroom in self-defense. He also claimed that he had no idea that it was Steenkamp at the door, as he had thought she was asleep.
The prosecution in the case against him is working to prove that Steenkamp’s death was not accidental as Pistorius has claimed.
Image via YouTube