Gerrie Nel begins attack with "zombie stopper" video

This is the Sky News "zombie stopper" video being debated in court at the moment:

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel began his cross-examination of Oscar Pistorius by confronting him with the fact that he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

"You made a mistake?" Nel snapped at him.

"You killed a person. You shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp. Why don't you take responsibility for that?"

Nel began with the statement: "Mr Pistorius you were and still are one of the most recognised faces in the world. You are a model for disabled and able-bodied sportsmen all over the world."

Pistorius replied softly that this was the case before he made "a mistake".

"Let us get to the truth," Nel continued.

Oscar Pistorius told the High Court in Pretoria on Wednesday that he was a Christian and that he tried not to lie.

"I try not to lie," Pistorius said under cross-examination from prosecutor Gerrie Nel. Nel asked: "Do you live strictly on Christian principles?"

Pistorius replied: "I try to... I'm a Christian... I don't always think the things I do are right.

Nel was cross-examining Pistorius.

He asked the athlete what a "zombie stopper" was and if he had been in the presence of someone using the term. Pistorius said he could not remember knowing the term or being in the presence of someone who used the term. Nel then asked if he would be surprised if there was a video on a international news channel on which the term was used.

Pistorius said yes. Nel said he would show Pistorius the video.

However, Barry Roux, SC for Pistorius, objected and said it was an ambush.

Nel said the defence had presented lengthy character evidence and the State did not investigate character evidence.

Nel said Pistorius asked him to "please" show him the video.

"This witness indicated that he wanted to see the video," Nel said.

Judge Thokozile Masipa has allowed the defence to view the video before making a final ruling on the video's admissibility.

- SAPA

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