Paralympian champion set to face trial for the death of Reeva Steenkamp.
The family of champion athlete Oscar Pistorius has called for the end of he public trial already taking place ahead of the first official trial date tomorrow.
Pistorius has been the subject of speculation for months and will be on centre stage like never before when he walks into court tomorrow.
The South African Paralympian is charged accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, when he shot her on Valentines Day in 2013.
Pistorius claims her death was an accident and that he did not mean to fatally shoot her.
However, the months of media reports, innuendo and speculation along with the trial to be televised 24-hours a day in South Africa has become too much for Pistorius’ family.
“With less than two days before the start of Oscar’s criminal trial, the family as well as the legal team will not be distracted by extraneous issues that have no bearing on, or relevance to, the legal process that must now be allowed to unfold,” Arnold Pistorius, Oscar’s uncle said.
“We will not be commenting on any media reports, nor will we be engaging the press on any issues that belong in court. The time for public commentary is over. The focus is now entirely on a very serious trial that is set to start this Monday. We love Oscar, and believe in him, and will be standing by him throughout the coming trial.”
The state has 107 witnesses including Pistorius’s ex-girlfriends Melissa Rom and Samantha Taylor, whose mother welcomed the end of their relationship and former football star Mark Batchelor who was allegedly threatened by Pistorius because he was see as being too friendly with Steenkamp.
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