Pretoria - Paralympian Oscar Pistorius started crying in court on Tuesday as his lawyer denied that the alleged murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp was premeditated.
“We submit it's not even murder,” advocate Barry Roux told the Pretoria Magistrate's Court.
“There's no agreement there, not even concession that this is murder.”
Pistorius, who was wearing a dark blue suit, lowered his eyes when argument started in his bail application, and broke down in tears when his lawyer started defending him.
He is charged with the murder of Steenkamp on Thursday.
Earlier, State prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the State's case was that her death was premeditated, and that it rejected that she may have been mistaken for a burglar when she was shot three times through a bathroom door.
“We say this in itself constitutes premeditated murder of a burglar,” said Nel.
Earlier, Roux said Pistorius had no previous convictions and there were no other matters pending against him.
While this was taking place, the coffin of the model and law graduate was being carried into the chapel at the Victoria Park Crematorium in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday morning for a private family service. - Sapa