Prosecutor suggests Pistorius is faking his emotions


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PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — It's been another emotional day on the witness stand for Oscar Pistorius -- and that's prompted a South African prosecutor to suggest he's staging emotional outbursts to hide his difficulty in answering questions about the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius struggled today to explain alleged inconsistencies in his testimony, and broke down sobbing on two occasions -- causing the judge to temporarily stop the court session.

The prosecutor told Pistorius, "You're getting frustrated because your version is improbable." He then asked, "You're not using your emotional state as an escape, are you?"

The South African Olympic track star has said he thought he was firing at an intruder when he shot Steenkamp through a toilet door in the early hours of Valentine's Day last year. Prosecutors say he shot her deliberately after an argument.

Pistorius testified today that he wasn't in a "rational frame of mind" at the time of the shooting -- suggesting that he was therefore unable to remember some things about that night or explain some of his actions.

The cross-examination continues for a fifth day tomorrow.

%@AP Links

180-a-12-(Llewelynn Curlewis (loo-EHL'-ihn kur-LOO'-ihs), South African criminal attorney and legal analyst, in interview)-"going all out"-South African criminal attorney and legal analyst Llewelynn Curlewis says the prosecution wants an intentional homocide conviction, but may have already proven the lesser charge equivalent to manslaughter. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (14 Apr 2014)

<<CUT *180 (04/14/14)££ 00:12 "going all out"

179-a-06-(Llewelynn Curlewis (loo-EHL'-ihn kur-LOO'-ihs), South African criminal attorney and legal analyst, in interview)-"the pit bull"-South African criminal attorney and legal analyst Llewelynn Curlewis says the prosecutor is emphasizing inconsistencies in Pistorius' testimony. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (14 Apr 2014)

<<CUT *179 (04/14/14)££ 00:06 "the pit bull"

APPHOTO XTH106: Oscar Pistorius, leaves the high court in Pretoria, South Africa, Monday, April 14, 2014. Pistorius is charged with murder for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentines Day in 2013. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) (14 Apr 2014)

<<APPHOTO XTH106 (04/14/14)££

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