Oscar Pistorious, a double amputee with six Paralympic medals, testified in court after being charged for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
According to prosecuting attorneys, Pistorius killed Steenkamp after an argument in February, but Pistorius alleged that he thought he was shooting an intruder. Pistorius admitted that he fired his gun through the bathroom door of his house in Pretoria, South Africa on February 14, 2013, according to a report by BBC News.
Pistorius took the stand and apologized to the Steenkamp family. After 14 months without a word, Pistorius was finally given the chance to testify in court. He faced June Steenkamp, mother of Reeva, and said, "My lady, may I please start my evidence by tendering an apology." His voice was shaky and small, "I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Mr. and Mrs. Steenkamp, to Reeva's family, to those of you who knew her who are here today."
He said he always thought about Reeva and her family and constantly prays for them. "I can promise that when she went to bed that night she felt loved." He added that he wanted to write to Reeva's family but "no words would ever suffice."
In a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Pistorius said that he started taking sleeping pills and antidepressants since it was difficult for him to sleep at night. He shared, "I am scared to sleep.... I have terrible nightmares about what happened that night. I wake up and I can smell blood."
June Steenkmap kept a straight face throughout the public apology, writes The Guardian.
The remainder of the athlete's testimony discussed his background and career as a paralympic athlete. The apology of Pistorius was covered live on TV. When a case trial in South Africa is televised for the first time, the testimony of Pistorius and his witnesses and other confidential conversations with lawyer cannot be broadcasted. If found guilty, the 27-year-old faces a 25-year jail term.