Oscar Pistorius was seen 'loudly gagging and retching' during testimony about his slain girlfriend's wounds

Getty Images/Pool photo

Oscar Pistorius was seen 'loudly gagging and retching' during testimony about his slain girlfriend's wounds
(Image credit: Getty Images/Pool photo)

Disgraced Olympian Oscar Pistorius reportedly vomited in court today during testimony from Dr. Gert Saayman, the pathologist who performed the autopsy on Pistorius' slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The double-amputee sprinter, who is accused of murdering Steenkamp, was seen "breaking down, loudly gagging, and retching" when he heard the graphic details of Steenkamp's injuries. A bucket was placed near him so he could vomit.

This portion of the trial couldn't be broadcast or live-tweeted by journalists in the courtroom because Judge Thokozile Masipa decided the evidence was too "explicitly graphic" to be publicly released. However, writers were allowed to summarize the start of the case's second week. What rattled Pistorius the most was Saayman's description of the bullet wounds that tore through Steenkamp's body.

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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.