A report by The Associated Press published on MSN said that the High Court of South Africa on Wednesday decided to delay its ruling regarding the application of several local television stations to broadcast the murder trial of Paralympian Oscar Pistorius live. Pistorius had been accused of shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp to death at his home on Valentine's Day last year.
Judge Dunstan Mlambo reportedly said that the decision to whether the murder trial will be televised will be handed down by the court on Tuesday next week instead. The court's decision revealed that news channel eNCA, Eyewitness News and South African cable group MultiChoice had filed requests with the High Court regarding their proposal to broadcast the trial live.
Barry Roux, Pistorius' lawyer, has challenged the application, and said that should the High Court permit such requests, will lead to an unfair trial as media activities court affect several aspects of the already sensitive case.
On the other hand, legal representation of the local television stations insisted that the High Court should make provisions to cater to the media as the Pistorius murder trial had garnered unprecedented interest, AP said. Frank Snyckers was quoted by the the South African Press Association as saying that a televised trial would prevent interruptions in the trial should the High Court permit media to record it.
"What we are proposing here would tame the circus. (If broadcast permission is granted), it won't be necessary for everyone wanting a piece of the action to be in court," Snyckers reportedly said.
On Tuesday, the National Prosecuting Authority had already expressed their approval regarding the proposal to broadcast the trial live under certain conditions. AP said spokesman Nathi Mncube at that time did not elaborate what those conditions were.
Aside from the murder charges, Pistorious has also been charged with other firearm-related charges in a separate trial, the news agency said. His legal camp is also working out on a settlement with Steenkamp's family out of court ahead of the Paralympian's murder trial, AP added.
