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Blade runner breaks down in courtroom
South African 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee who became one of the biggest names in world athletics, was charged in a Pretoria court on Friday with murdering his girlfriend. Pistorius shot her through bathroom door four times| Pistorius formally charged with murder
South African 'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee who became one of the biggest names in world athletics, was charged in a Pretoria court on Friday with murdering his girlfriend.
Prosecutors say they will pursue a premeditated murder charge against Oscar Pistorius as the Paralympic superstar openly wept in court Friday after being charged with shooting his girlfriend to death.
Pistorius was formally charged at Pretoria Magistrate's Court with one count of murder.
Reeva Steenkamp, a model and budding reality TV show participant, was shot and killed at Pistorius' upmarket home in an eastern suburb of the South African capital in the predawn hours of Thursday, sending the country reeling.
Pistorius stood with his face in his hands as he broke down in tears on his first court appearance.
The magistrate delayed Pistorius' bail hearing until next Tuesday and Wednesday and ruled that the 26-year-old Pistorius would be held at a Pretoria police station until then. Watch video:
Twenty-six-year-old Pistorius, known worldwide as "Blade Runner" because of his carbon fibre prostheses, arrived at the Pretoria magistrate's court in the back of a police van with his head covered by a jacket.
Pistorius, who made history when he became the first double-amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes at the Olympics last year, is expected to apply for bail but police have said they would oppose it.
He is accused of killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot four times with a 9mm pistol registered in Pistorius's name. She suffered wounds to the head and hand and died in the early hours of Thursday.
