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ANI (Sports/Others)

Social worker says `heartbroken` Pistorius was `emotionally distressed` after shooting Reeva

Oscar Pistorius, Reeva Steenkamp, emotional, distress, social worker, Valentines Day

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Johannesburg, May 9 (ANI): A social worker has defended Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius
in her testimony at the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday, saying that the murder-accused
athlete was emotionally distressed and heartbroken after shooting his girlfriend Reeva
Steenkamp on Valentines Day last year.

Pistorius, who is also charged with three contraventions of the Firearms Control Act, has denied
guilt on all charges.

According to Sport24, Yvette van Schalkwyk, who claimed to have met the Blade Runner in
police cells a day after he shot dead the South African model, said that she saw a heartbroken
man who was suffering emotionally, was in mourning and was sorry for his loss.

Van Schalkwyk also said that Pistorius spoke to her about the plans he had with Steenkamp for
the future and about her parents and the suffering of her family, adding that she was upset by
media reports suggesting that Pistorius was not sincere in his apologies and was faking tears and
emotions.

Under cross-examination by the prosecution, Van Schalkwyk said she had never dealt with other
accused people in a family murder case. (ANI)

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