Pretoria - Oscar Pistorius is not a narcissist, has no history of inappropriate violence and appears to be in serious mourning over the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
He also poses a suicide risk, and needs further psychiatric treatment. This was according to a report submitted to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria by a panel of psychologist and psychiatrists who examined Pistorius for an entire month.
Pistorius was ordered by the court to spend a month under observation to determine if he suffered from a particular disorder posed by his defence team that could have affected his behaviour the night he shot and killed Steenkamp.
On Wednesday, two days after it was submitted, defence advocate Barry Roux finally addressed the report that stated Pistorius did not suffer from a general anxiety disorder, as originally diagnosed by defence psychiatrist, Dr Merryl Vorster.
Roux said the defence did not accept absolutely everything in the report, but that cross-examination of the psychologists was unnecessary.
He did, however, read from the document that Pistorius was traumatised by the shooting incident, suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression.
It also read that Pistorius was in serious mourning for Steenkamp and he posed a serious suicide risk.
“He does not display the personality characteristics associated with narcissism or psychopathy,” the report read, saying these traits were generally related to abusive partners in relationships. He also had no history of violent aggression, but rather one of feeling insecure and vulnerable after being exposed directly and indirectly to crime.
His only outbursts of anger were considered appropriate in the report and that there was no evidence of an abusive relationship with Steenkamp, according to the analysis.
However, the report did say there was no indication that Pistorius suffered from anxiety that hampered his judgment the night he shot and killed Steenkamp.
The psychologists recommended Pistorius continue to receive treatment to assure he does not commit suicide.
Prior to the revelations from the report, Pistorius's manager Peet van Zyl returned to the stand for a brutal cross-examination.
State prosecutor Gerrie Nel continued his cross-examination by asking about Pistorius's relationships with Steenkamp and his ex-girlfriend, Samantha Taylor.
Van Zyl said he never got a lot of details on Pistorius's ex, simply that it was a normal, “friendly” relationship.
On Tuesday, the manager said that Steenkamp was the first girlfriend that Pistorius had requested accompany him on one of his athletic tours.
But Nel put it to Van Zyl that Pistorius had sent an e-mail with a copy of Taylor's passport to apply for a visa for a trip together in 2012.
Van Zyl said he couldn't remember the e-mail or the request for a visa.
However, the e-mail was presented in court. It asked Van Zyl to keep the passport on file.
Van Zyl said he passed the passport onto the production company sponsoring the couple to come to the Seychelles to shoot a piece for lifestyle show, Top Billing. He said the producers sorted out Taylor's ticket.
Nel then moved onto an incident where another paralympian, Arnu Fourie, asked to switch rooms while on tour with Pistorius because the Blade Runner continuously had loud arguments on his cellphone.
“(He) was constantly screaming in anger on the phone,” according to an article written by journalist and radio presenter David O'Sullivan.
Van Zyl said that while Pistorius was on this tour, he did not have access to the athlete and it was handled by Team SA.
Nel then revealed an e-mail between Taylor and Pistorius where he said he had tried to take her with him to the London Olympics.
In the e-mail, Pistorius told Taylor he didn't even feel like travelling to London without her.
“When I invited you… I asked Peet (van Zyl) to do everything he could to find you a ticket,” Pistorius wrote.
Van Zyl said he couldn't recall any of this.
“It's just important for you to say he only invited one person (overseas),” said Nel.
The prosecutor then questioned Van Zyl about his visit to Pistorius after the athlete was arrested in February 2013.
Van Zyl visited Pistorius at the Brooklyn police station, and said he went there to provide emotional support and to discuss the athlete's lost sponsorships. Nel asked if Van Zyl had ever personally given condolences to the Steenkamp family, but the manager said he sent flowers despite being advised to not make contact.
On Tuesday, Van Zyl said that Pistorius was self-conscious about letting people see him without his prosthetic legs, but Nel presented a photo of Pistorius on his stumps at a public beach to the court.
Nel also revealed that Pistorius had pet names for Taylor - his “little butterfly” - and had said many times she was “the one”.
Van Zyl said he had no knowledge of this.
Nel questioned why Van Zyl would not know about the extent of Pistorius's relationship with Taylor, considering the manager was willing to comment on his relationship with Steenkamp.
But Van Zyl said Pistorius was loving with all of his girlfriends, and that he wasn't always privy to personal details of his clients.
Nel then moved onto another incident where Pistorius was left out of a race and flew into a rage, kicking chairs and other objects.
Van Zyl said he witnessed Pistorius's disappointment and that the athlete was almost in tears. But he said he had not heard about the alleged violent outburst.
The Star