Pistorius trial adjourns until May 5

A defence forensic expert says Steenkamp was hit by rapid gunshots.

The murder trial of Oscar Pistorius, the Olympic and Paralympic athlete accused of deliberately shooting his girlfriend to death, has been adjourned until May 5 after a gruelling questioning of a forensic geologist brought by the defence.

The deferred hearing will allow state and defence lawyers attend other cases- a request both sides made to Judge Thokozile Masipa.

Thursday’s trial concluded days of intense cross-examination of a forensic expert, Roger Dixon, brought by the defence.

Mr. Dixon’s testimonies widely contradicted the state’s version of event on the night before Valentine’s Day in 2013 when Pistorius, nicknamed the blade runner, shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, to death.

The double amputee athlete has admitted shooting Steenkamp but says he mistook her for an intruder.

The state accuses him of premeditated murder, an offence that carries between 25 years to life in prison term if convicted. The state says Steenkamp was killed after a quarrel with Pistorius.

On Thursday, a defence witness, Mr. Dixon, said he believed Ms Steenkamp was standing at an angle to the door and that all four bullets hit her as fell to the ground.

The testimony discredits the state’s version that Ms Steenkamp would have had time to scream after the first bullet and that Mr Pistorius then changed aim and continued firing.

Mr. Dixon also told the court about light tests carried out in Mr Pistorius’ bedroom and sound tests of a cricket bat striking a door and bullets hitting a door.

But the prosecutor Gerrie Nel rigorously challenged the argument during an intense cross-examination in which he sought to characterise Mr. Dixon as lacking the competence to make the claims.

The trial is due to resume on May 5, two days before South Africa goes to the polls for a national election.

Defense advocate Barry Roux is expected to call his next witness once the trial resumes.