News und Ankündigungen » ot been good on the issue, and they h

PRETORIA, South Africa -- For two days, the witness in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius kept her composure. Then, just as her testimony was about to finish, she broke down in tears at what she said was the memory of the screams she heard on the night that the double-amputee athlete fatally shot his girlfriend in his South African home. Michelle Burger, a neighbour of Pistorius who took the stand on the second day of a trial watched around the world, remained calm through intense questioning by the chief defence lawyer. In a final exchange with the lead prosecutor on Tuesday, however, emotion washed over her as she recalled what she described as the terrified screams of a woman early on Valentines Day last year. "When Im in the shower, I relive her shouts," Burger said in an apparent reference to her trauma just after the shooting, when a police captain took her statement. When Gerrie Nel, the prosecutor, asked her about her emotions at the time, she said the experience was "quite raw" and her voice broke. Nel asked her how she was coping now. "Im coping fine," Burger insisted. "Its been a year." Burger, a university lecturer, lives 177 metres (193 yards) from Pistorius house, where his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, died in what the runner said was an accident. Burger testified that she heard a man and a woman shouting, then the sound of four gunshots. She said the womans screams continued during the gunshots and quickly faded away after the final one. She was the first witness called by the prosecution, which contends that Pistorius intentionally killed Steenkamp after a loud argument. Her testimony contradicts Pistorius account. He says he fired four times through the toilet cubicle door, hitting Steenkamp three times in the head, arm and hip or side area after thinking she was a dangerous intruder. He has pleaded not guilty. The defence contends that Burger may have been asleep when the gunshots were fired, and then mistakenly thought she was hearing gunfire when in fact it was the sound of Pistorius breaking the toilet cubicle door with a cricket bat after realizing he had shot his girlfriend. During cross-examination of Burger, chief defence lawyer Barry Roux suggested that she was mistaken in saying that she heard a woman screaming and that it was actually Pistorius shouting for help in a high voice after accidentally shooting Steenkamp. Giving sometimes grisly details of the killing of the 29-year-old model, Roux said Steenkamp was shot in the head, which would have resulted in brain damage and "no cognitive function" and so she wouldnt have been able to scream just after the last bullet struck, as Burger testified. Roux said that an expert would later testify in the trial that "with the head shot, she (Steenkamp) would have dropped down immediately." Burger disagreed. "I heard her voice just after the last shot," she said. "It faded away." Her husband, Charl Johnson, also testified that "the last scream faded moments after the last gunshot was fired." Burger also said that the man she heard -- before the sound of the gunfire -- was calling for help, a piece of testimony that muddied the prosecutions narrative that Pistorius was the aggressor. Challenged by Roux, Burger speculated that perhaps the voice was that of Pistorius ridiculing Steenkamps calls for help. "Was it a mockery? I dont know. Im not Mr. Pistorius," she said. Pistorius, who faces a minimum of 25 years in prison without parole if convicted of premeditated murder, took notes during testimony and huddled with lawyers during adjournments. His collected demeanour contrasted with his sometimes distraught behaviour during a bail hearing last year, when he sobbed in court. At one point on Tuesday he covered his ears, but it wasnt clear why. Pistorius, 27, was born without fibula bones because of a congenital defect and his legs were amputated when he was 11 months old. He has run on carbon-fiber blades and was originally banned from competing against able-bodied peers because many argued that his blades gave him an unfair advantage. He was later cleared to compete. He is a multiple Paralympic medallist but he failed to win a medal at the 2012 London Olympics. Steenkamps mother, June, said in a television interview that she did not want to live with bitterness. "Ive lost everything thats important to me, and still, I can forgive. I can forgive," she told NBCs "Today" show. "One must forgive." June Steenkamp was in court Monday, hoping to look Pistorius in the eye. But, she said, Pistorius "never looked my way, or he didnt have an opportunity to do that." Judge Thokozile Masipa will ultimately deliver the verdict and decide on any sentence. South Africa has no trial by jury. Tuesdays proceedings were interrupted when Masipa ordered an investigation into allegations that a South African television channel was broadcasting a photograph of Burger during her testimony -- against a court order guaranteeing privacy to witnesses who request it. "I am warning the media," the judge said, "if you do not behave, you are not going to be treated with soft gloves by this court." George Brett Jersey .C. -- Charles Oakley, one of the NBAs all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas. Al Hrabosky Jersey . Last years runner-up, Sara Errani, also reached the last eight in straight sets. Flipkens converted all four of her break points against Meusburger, and the third-seeded Errani broke Karin Knapps serve five times to win their all-Italian match 6-4, 6-3. https://www.cheaproyals.com/237a-chris-y...sey-royals.html. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Danny Duffy Jersey . Hes still nowhere close to throwing yet. The four-time MVP was in good spirits when he made his first public appearance on the field since having neck surgery Sept. Joe Burke Jersey .com) - Charlie Davies netted a pair of goals, including the series-winner on Saturday, as the New England Revolution battled the New York Red Bulls to a 2-2 draw in the second leg of the Eastern Conference Championship at Gillette Stadium and advanced to MLS Cup final via a thrilling 4-3 aggregate victory.WASHINGTON - Members of the Senate Commerce Committee chastised the commissioners of the NFL, Major League Baseball, NBA and NHL for skipping a hearing Tuesday on domestic violence in pro sports, with one saying the absences reflect a lack of focus on the issue.They were all asked to be here, and leadership does start at the top. And I do think that its pretty convenient that none of them were able to appear today, said Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican from New Hampshire. That does say something about: How big a commitment is there going to be on this?Instead of Commissioner Roger Goodell, for example, the NFL sent Troy Vincent, the executive vice-president of football operations, who ignored questions from reporters after the hearing and was led away by league employees. During his prepared testimony, Vincent — a former player — choked up while saying abuse was a way of life in his home when he was growing up because his mother was beaten.Domestic violence has become a main topic of conversation across the sports landscape in recent months, particularly in light of the case of former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. He punched his then-fiancee — now wife — in a casino elevator and originally was suspended by Goodell for two games, then barred indefinitely after graphic video of the fight was released by TMZ. Eventually, though, that second punishment was erased by an arbitrator when Rice appealed.Vincent was asked Tuesday why the NFL didnt try harder to obtain the video from inside the elevator. He replied, I dont think there was a need, and said the league should have handed Rice a tougher punishment to begin with.At the time of Rices indefinite suspension, Goodell said the TMZ video spurred the tougher penalty.On Tuesday in New York, an appeal hearing began for Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who was suspended for the rest of the season after pleading no contest too misdemeanour reckless assault for injuring his 4-year-old son with a switch.ddddddddddddSenators pressed the representatives of the four leagues and their players unions — NBA Players Association Executive Director Michele Roberts was the only head of any of the eight organizations present — on matters such as whether they conduct their own investigations, independent of police; whether coaches or other team personnel are required to report instances of illegal conduct to law enforcement; and what sort of help is provided for abuse victims.Youve got to understand that the status quo is not acceptable. ... I think you all know that in your hearts, said Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat. There will be more accountability in the future.During the hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, announced he was introducing legislation to end the leagues permanent antitrust exemptions, while Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, said its ridiculous that the NFL enjoys tax-exempt status.Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the West Virginia Democrat who chairs the committee, said he called for the hearing because until very recently, the leagues records have not been good on the issue, and they have done little or nothing in response when players have been charged or convicted for domestic violence.There were some contentious moments involving the NFLPA, including when Sen. Dean Heller, a Nevada Republican, said: When youre worried more about getting back on the field, instead of stopping abuse, your priorities are out of order.Later, during an exchange with the NFLPAs deputy managing director, Teri Patterson, Heller said: Youre either for stopping sexual assault, domestic abuse and child abuse — or youre not.___Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '