Oscar Pistorius: 'Adrenaline Freak'

Following Oscar Pistorius' murder charge, a journalist who profiled him last year for the New York Times reflects on the runner. "He was far nicer" and had "better manners" than many American athletes, Michael Sokolove writes for the Times. But he was still a source of "worry" for Sokolove: "Oscar was an adrenaline freak at a level I had never seen before," he explains. The athlete drove at 140mph even after having been injured in a speedboat crash; he had "dangerous" exotic pets.

Still, while Pistorius seemed "reckless," Sokolove "didn’t see anger in him. I did see fear." During their interview, Pistorius explained that his alarm system had gone off the night before, prompting him to get his gun and head downstairs (turns out there was no intruder). After hearing that Sokolove hadn't fired a gun, Pistorius brought him to a firing range—where he said he went when "I can't sleep"—and taught him how to shoot. "Maybe you should do this more," he told the writer. "If you practiced, I think you could be pretty deadly." Click through for the full piece, or see the latest theories in the case. (More Michael Sokolove stories.)