Witnesses ‘colluded on testimony’

Oscar Pistorius gets emotional at graphic evidence presented at his murder trial, and a heated exchange occurs between his defense lawyer and witness Michelle Burger. Jillian Kitchener reports.

Day 3 ... South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp arrives to attend a hearing of his trial at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Source: AFP

OSCAR Pistorius's defence sought to prove that a married couple who heard screams on the night of Reeva Steenkamp's death colluded in their testimony, hoping to discredit key witnesses

Pistorius's lawyer Barry Roux attempted to show written statements and testimony from husband and wife couple Charl Johnson and Michelle Burger contained "remarkable coincidences'' that could not be accidental.

Earlier, in vivid testimony that cast doubt on the Paralympian's claims of a "tragic accident,'' the pair told the court they heard a screams then gunshots on Valentine's Day 2013 at Pistorius's home.

— Barry Bateman (@barrybateman) March 5, 2014

The couple's account would undermine Pistorius's claim that he shot his girlfriend, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, through a locked toilet door after mistaking her for an intruder.

As the trial resumed, Roux sought to put the defence back on the front foot, submitting Johnson to pointed cross-examination a day after his wife was reduced to tears in the witness box.

"You have not favoured the court with a strong, independent version,'' he railed at Johnson, citing identical syntax and vocabulary used in Johnson and his wife's written statements to police.

The allegation could lessen the impact of the pair's testimony.

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Killed ... Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Stimulii) Source: AP

Model ... Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed at Pistorius' home. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Stimulii-HO) Source: AP

"Maybe you and your wife should have stood together in the witness box,'' Mr Roux said, prompting Judge Thokozile Masipa to step in.

"Aren't you going a bit far?'' she asked.

Ms Masipa did not comment on Mr Johnson's complaint that his "privacy has been compromised severely'' by the reading in court of his cell phone number, and that he had received threatening messages.

Johnson earlier told the court that on February 14, 2013 he was woken by a woman's screams and ran to his balcony, less than 200 metres from Pistorius's home.

"At that point the fear and intensity of her voice escalated and it was clear that this person's life was in danger,'' he said on Tuesday.

"That's when the first shots were fired,'' although Johnson could not recall how many.

Charged with murder ... Oscar Pistorius (C) leaves North Gauteng High Court amid a media scrum after the second day of his trial accused of the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

On Tuesday the court heard emotional evidence from Ms Burger about her recollection of that event.

"When I'm in the shower, I relive her shouts. The terrifying screams,'' university lecturer Burger said, her voice cracking with emotion as she was unable to hold back the tears.

Another neighbour, second witness Estelle van der Merwe, who lives less than 100 metres (yards) away from Pistorius's home, also told the court she heard arguing coming from the house.

Defence on attack ... Oscar Pistorius' attorney Barry Roux put to husband and wife witnesses that they colluded on their testimony. Source: AP

"I woke up in the morning at 1:56am to sounds of someone talking loudly and fighting,'' she told the court. "It lasted about an hour.''

Later she recalled waking up to the sound of loud bangs.

Pistorius, 27, a double amputee known as the "Blade Runner'' for his carbon-fibre running blades, has pleaded not guilty to murder and three unrelated gun charges.

If found guilty of premeditated murder, Pistorius faces 25 years in South Africa's notoriously brutal jails and an abrupt end to his glittering sporting career.

The track star has appeared composed in court during three days of prosecution testimony, except when the court heard a statement explaining the violent nature of Steenkamp's death.

Emotional ... Oscar Pistorius places his head down while sitting in the dock in court on the third day of his trial at the high court in Pretoria. Source: AP

Seeking to cast doubt on the witnesses' statements, the defence has disputed their claims that they continued to hear Steenkamp's fading screams after she suffered a final shot to the head.

"The person with that brain damage will have no cognitive response,'' continued Roux. "It cannot be. She could not have screamed.''

Hearing this, Pistorius put a handkerchief to his face bowed his head and folded his hands behind his neck.

Prosecution lawyer Gerrie Nel interjected to say it was the last of four shots that struck Steenkamp's head, the first three hitting her right side, the wall and her shoulder.

Meanwhile, across the court, one of Steenkamp's relatives touched a photo of Steenkamp, who had been a budding reality TV star, as a man put his arm around her.

The trial is expected to last three weeks.

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