{{ A South African judge on Tuesday postponed until August 19 the murder trial of global athletics star Oscar Pistorius, who has been charged with shooting dead his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day.}}<\/p>\n
Pistorius, 26, had to make his way through a scrum of photographers and reporters as he made his first formal public appearance since his release on bail in February.<\/p>\n
The double amputee athlete, nicknamed “Blade Runner” for the prosthetics he uses in competition, has admitted shooting Reeva Steenkamp, 29, four times through a locked bathroom door on February 14 at his home in an affluent Pretoria community.<\/p>\n
In pre-trial testimony, his lawyers told the court the shooting was a tragic mistake and Pistorius was acting in self-defense against what he thought was an intruder.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors accuse him of premeditated murder for firing into the door, hitting Steenkamp in the head, hip and arm.<\/p>\n
The judge postponed the case after the athlete’s lawyers asked for more time to prepare.<\/p>\n
Pistorius was one of the stars of the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics in London, carrying South Africa’s flag at the closing ceremonies for the Games.<\/p>\n
{reuters}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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