South African law experts have said that the judge’s verdict will likely not be affected by Paralympian Oscar Pistorius’ emotional meltdown in court, along with his crying and vomiting earlier in the trial.
Pistorius brought Tuesday’s testimony to a halt with a display of anguish as he explained how he shot his lover Reeva Steenkamp and then bashed through a locked bathroom door to find her body.
According to ABC News, although Judge Thokozile Masipa adjourned the court to give the Blade Runner, who was crying loudly, time to compose himself, however, lawyers do not expect her to be swayed by Pistorius’ outpouring of grief despite admitting that demeanour is one of the factors taken into account when a credibility finding is made.
The experts further said that the emotional displays would only become relevant once the case moves on to sentencing proceedings if Pistorius is found guilty, although they added that by verdict time, the raw emotion seen now would have faded.
Pistorius could be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison if he is convicted of premeditated murder in Steenkamp’s death, the report added. (ANI)