Strike mark in door scrutinised

The mark, where the bat penetrated the door panel, is several centimetres above the door handle.

 

Barry Roux, SC, for Pistorius, had a member of his legal team, Rohan Kruger, simulate swinging the bat while standing at an angle to the door.

 

This happened during the testimony of police forensic expert Colonel Johannes Vermeulen in the murder trial of Pistorius.

 

Pistorius, a double amputee, has said he used the bat to break down a locked toilet door through which he shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year.

 

He is on trial for premeditated murder. Pistorius has denied guilt, saying he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder.

 

After Kruger simulated swinging the bat on Wednesday, Vermeulen indicated to the court that this angle did not match the mark made in the door.

 

He got out of the witness box, took the bat and swung it at the door while facing it. This he said was the correct position Pistorius would have been in.

 

"The mark corresponds with the flat side of the bat, not as he (Kruger) has it there, where the bat is at an acute angle, which would have caused a much sharper mark," Vermeulen said.

 

Roux asked Vermeulen to swing the bat while bent at the waist. Vermeulen said this was a "very uncomfortable, unnatural position".

 

Earlier, Vermeulen said to questioning by Roux he had initially assumed the person who swung the bat was standing upright.

 

"I'm not standing on my knees when I'm washing the dishes," Vermeulen quipped.

 

"Maybe if you're scared of your wife you can do that," Roux commented, causing the court to erupt into laughter.

 

The court adjourned for lunch.

 

- Sapa