Pretoria - Oscar Pistorius' alleged intention to kill a burglar could not be turned into an intention to kill his girlfriend, his lawyer said on Friday.
“The question here is how would a reasonable person have acted under the circumstances?” asked Barry Roux at the bail hearing of his client in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court.
The paralympian is charged with the murder of Reeva Steenkamp in a toilet at his home on February 14. Pistorius has denied this, saying he thought an intruder was in his house when he fired into the cubicle.
Magistrate Desmond Nair asked if an intruder behind the toilet door had posed a threat, what would Roux ask for.
“We would ask for culpable homicide,” replied Roux.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel has argued that Pistorius had intended to kill when he fired his weapon, even if he thought he was shooting at a burglar.
The court has adjourned so that the magistrate can make his ruling. The announcement is expected at 2.30pm. - Sapa