Famous runner Oscar Pistorius rejects murder allegation

Feb 15, 2013

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Pistorius weeps in court; prosecutors to seek premeditated murder charge

PRETORIA, South Africa (CNN) -- South African sports icon Oscar Pistorius broke into tears Friday when a judge officially charged him with killing his girlfriend on Valentine's Day.

A grim-faced Pistorius, wearing a dark suit, shook uncontrollably with his head buried in his hands during the hearing at a packed courtroom in Pretoria.

Prosecutors say they plan to charge him with premeditated murder.

The athlete rejected the murder allegation "in the strongest terms," his agent, Peet Vanzuyl, told CNN.

His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was found in a pool of blood at Pistorius' home Thursday in an upscale neighborhood in the capital.

Neighbors alerted authorities to the early morning shooting, saying they had "heard things earlier," according to police spokeswoman Denise Beukes. She did not clarify what the neighbors heard.

The track star was arrested the same day.

Steenkamp's killing rattled South Africa, not only because the two were famous, but also because the country is grappling with a disturbing problem -- 71% of women report that they've been the victim of sexual abuse. Just in the past few weeks, 17-year-old Anene Booyson died after being gang raped and mutilated in the tiny tourist town of Bredasdorp, two hours southeast of Cape Town.

Her death sparked outrage, inspiring this week's nationwide rape awareness day dubbed Black Friday. The day before she was killed, Steenkamp retweeted a message on Twitter in support of Black Friday.

While police have not discussed a possible motive for the model's killing, local media reported that Pistorius had mistaken his girlfriend for an intruder.

South Africa has a high crime rate, and many homeowners keep weapons to protect themselves from intruders.

But Beukes, the police spokeswoman, stressed that this scenario did not come from authorities.

There was no evidence of forced entry at the home, she said.

Police said there had been previous "allegations of a domestic nature" at his house, but they did not elaborate.

Investigators found a pistol at the scene.

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Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

Alabama
Freeman A. Hrabowski, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will address the annual African American Business Council luncheon on June 28. Hrabowski, who is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Advisory Commission on Education Excellence for African Americans, has a national reputation for his work studying the performance of minority students in math and science. Hrabowski, named one of the 10 best college presidents in the country by Time magazine, was a child leader in the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham in the 1960s.

Arkansas
The Liberty Counsel filed a motion and a brief in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas seeking to intervene on behalf of a Concepts of Life crisis pregnancy center to defend against a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The groups seek to impose a permanent injunction before the Human Heartbeat Protection Act goes into effect July 18. Liberty Counsel also filed a brief opposing the ACLU’s request for an injunction. The “Heartbeat” bill states that when a woman seeks an abortion at or after the 12th week, doctors must test for a fetal heartbeat before an abortion is performed and inform the pregnant mother that the child in her womb has a heartbeat. If a heartbeat is detected, a woman cannot have an abortion, except in cases of rape, incest, and if a mother’s life is in danger. “As we promised when the legislation was introduced, Liberty Counsel will defend this law without reservation for the people of Arkansas, born and pre-born,” said Matt Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “No right is more foundational than the right to life. Without life, all other rights are irrelevant,” concluded Staver.