Oscar Pistorius to have psychiatric tests
Oscar Pistorius will undergo evaluation for mental illness, a South African court orders. The double-amputee athlete is on trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Judge Thokozile Masipa on Wednesday ruled that such an evaluation would ensure that Pistorius would get a fair trial.
Ms Masipa said the court would hand down the details of the assessment on Tuesday, adding it would be “preferable” for Pistorius to undergo the evaluation as an outpatient.
An application of this nature is never taken lightly… I am satisfied… and I shall grant that order. Judge Thokozile Masipa
She told the court: “It is necessary to emphasise that an application of this nature is never taken lightly, as it is an integral part of a fair trial, having regard to the above, I am satisfied that a case has been made out for the application or the relief as sought by the state, and I shall grant that order, however the specific order itself will be handed down on Tuesday.”
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court on Tuesday that he wanted to prevent the 27-year-old athlete, who faces life in prison if convicted of murdering his model girlfriend, from later appealing on the basis of a disturbed mental condition.
‘Generalised anxiety disorder’
Defence lawyer Barry Roux had opposed the motion, saying it was “premature” to have the evaluation done now, as he planned to call other witnesses.
Defence witness and forensic psychiatrist Dr Merryll Vorster testified that Pistorius, who was born without fibulas, suffers from generalised anxiety disorder after having his legs amputated at 11 months.
The anxiety disorder, a long-term condition that causes feelings of worry or fear in a wide range of situations, has worsened as Pistorius has got older, Dr Vorster said.
Ms Masipa added: “Dr Vorster mentioned for an example that the accused amongst other things was ‘hyper vigilance’, when asked what she meant by that, she stated, I quote: ‘Hyper vigilance is somebody that is over vigilant, so they’re constantly looking around scanning their surroundings for any kind of threat and generally not able to relax.'”
The state has sought to portray the track star as a gun-obsessed hothead who killed Steenkamp in a fit of rage.
‘Fearful and vulnerable’
The defence has argued that Pistorius had a heightened sense of fear and vulnerability because he was on his stumps when he thought he heard an intruder in his bathroom and shot at the door.
Pistorius has denied he killed Steenkamp in cold blood, saying he shot four times at the toilet door of his luxury Pretoria home to protect himself from what he thought was an intruder.
Read more: Oscar Pistorius murder trial - what's happened so far
