Paralympian Oscar Pistorius Declared Mentally Fit When He Killed Model Girlfriend
Kristina Fernandez | | Jul 01, 2014 12:25 AM EDT |
(Photo : Reuters) Court ruled out mental incapacity defense when South African's "trial of the century" resumed Monday after a monthlong break. A panel of experts confirmed Pistorius mentally fit when he opened fire at 29-year old Steenkamp behind closed toilet door in his house early last year.
Pretoria, South Africa - Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee Olympic runner, was declared mentally fit when he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's day 2013.
Following a monthlong break, the court resumes trial Monday of the highly publicized case after a panel of health experts released his psychiatric assessment.
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An independent panel of a psychologist and three psychiatrists confirmed that the paralympian is sane.
"Mr. Pistorius was capable of appreciating the wrongfulness of his act and was not suffering from a mental illness or defect that would have rendered him criminally not responsible for the offense charged," noted prosecutor Gerrie Nel who read parts of the report in court.
Both the defense and the prosecution lawyers accepted the result of the psychiatric assessments.
The court ordered the psychiatric assessment on May 20 after a psychiatrist testifying for Pistorius said that the athlete had a generalized anxiety disorder that may have contributed to Steenkamp's fatal shooting.
Pistorius earlier admitted to shooting model girlfriend Steenkamp, 29, through a closed toilet door, mistaking her for an intruder.
The prosecution argues that the shooting followed a jealous rage after an early morning argument.
The double-amputee Olympian initially pleaded self-defense but later admitted to firing the gun under cross-examination.
Had the doctors found the athlete mentally impaired, the court would have immediately handed a not guilty verdict on the ground of mental illness, reported ESPN.
Pistorius now faces 25 years in prison if found guilty of premeditated murder, but could still face years in prison should the court convict him of negligent killing.
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