Pistorius trial: Forensic inconsistencies questioned
Defence advocate Barry Roux will continue focusing on police investigative inconsistencies.
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PRETORIA - It's understood defence advocate Barry Roux will focus on further police investigative inconsistencies when he continues his attack on the state's murder case against Oscar Pistorius.
Oscar Pistorius arrives at court on 12 March 2014. Picture: Sebabatso Mosamo/EWN.
Yesterday, Roux accused police forensic expert, Colonel Gerhard Vermeulen, of ignoring vital clues which he claims support his client's version of events.
Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year.
Reeva Steenkamp. Picture: Carte Blanche.
While he says it was a case of mistaken identity, the state says he killed her in cold blood.
Roux asked how the police's top forensic analysts overlooked fibres from Pistorius's prosthetic leg sock which had become embedded in splinters of the wooden toilet door.
Vermeulen didn't know and also couldn't explain how the door varnish on the prosthesis was not analysed.
Roux said the wood, fabric and prosthetic limb all matched.
He said this proved his client first attempted to kick down the door to rescue Steenkamp, before fetching his cricket bat to break it down.
Vermeulen testified that his study of the evidence showed that the athlete was on his stumps.
Today Roux is expected to invoke his attention to detail when questioning Vermeulen about his crime scene reconstruction photographs.
Before adjourning yesterday, Roux asked Vermeulen to study pictures of the crime scene taken on 14 January and compare them to his photos taken on the 8 March when he was at Pistorius's house.
Roux was minutes earlier questioning the officer about the crime scene inventory.
A photo of the entrance to the bathroom was shown on screens in the courtroom.
The image showed two spent cartridges, bloodied towels, wood panelling from the door and police cones.
It's understood Roux will compare Vermeulen's reconstruction pictures to the originals and point out discrepancies, which will again cast doubt on the police's handling of this case.
EWN video: Toilet door takes centre stage
Meanwhile, private forensic consultant, Doctor David Klatzow has weighed in on yesterday's proceedings.
Klatzow said he found Vermeulen's testimony to be reliable.
"Colonel Vermeulen strikes me as an honest and straightforward witness who made his confessions like a gentleman."
Get all the latest developments on the EWN Oscar Pistorius portal.