Pistorius prosecutors do U-turn on shooting evidence

South African prosecutors who have accused Oscar Pistorius of murder now admit he may not have had his prostheses on when he fired the shots that killed his girlfriend, removing a key argument for premeditation.

According to a document obtained by local television news channel eNCA, the state’s own ballistics expert believes Paralympic star Pistorius was “most likely” on his stumps when he shot Reeva Steenkamp through the bathroom door.

During an extensive bail hearing, prosecutors had argued that Pistorius took time to put on his prosthetic legs before firing the shots through the locked bathroom door, showing he was not panicked by the prospect of an intruder.