Oscar Pistorius appeared briefly in a South African court on Tuesday for a hearing ahead of the double-amputee Olympian’s murder trial for the shooting death of his girlfriend.
Wearing a dark suit and black and white tie, Pistorius arrived through the front entrance of the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court and stood in the dock for the entire hearing, which lasted just over 15 minutes before his case was postponed until August 19 on the request of the prosecution.
Magistrate Daniel Thulare granted the extension, which was agreed to by Pistorius’ defence, so that police can complete their investigation into the Feb. 14 killing that shook South Africa and much of the world and left the runner facing a life sentence if convicted of premeditated murder in Reeva Steenkamp’s death.
Pistorius, staring straight ahead and with his hands clasped together in front of him, spoke just once during the short appearance.
“Yes, your honour,” he said after Magistrate Thulare asked him if he understood that he was released on the same bail conditions and he had to reappear in court on August 19.
Pistorius has said he killed girlfriend Steenkamp by mistake in the early hours of Valentine’s Day, believing she was an intruder in his home. Prosecutors allege he shot her intentionally as she cowered in a toilet stall and that the couple may have argued before her death.