Pistorius Gags as Trial Turns Graphic

Oscar Pistorius' murder trial continued today and up for discussion again were those "bloodcurdling screams" neighbor Michelle Burger said she heard the morning of Reeva Steenkamp's death. Her husband, Charl Johnson, took the stand to dispute what Pistorius' lawyer had said were perhaps screams from the athlete himself, noting the woman's screams were filled with fear, while the man's voice sounded monotone, NBC News reports via a correspondent's tweets. When he heard a man call for help, it sounded "embarrassed," said Johnson, who read from notes. The most dramatic testimony, however, came from another neighbor and doctor, Johan Stipp, who was first on the scene following the shooting.

"I was awakened by three loud bangs," heard a female's screams, three more bangs, then a man shout "help, help, help," Stipp said, via a second correspondent, noting he also saw the bathroom light on from his balcony; that contradicts Pistorius' claim that the lights were off. When he arrived at the house, Pistorius told him he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar and shot her. "He was praying, saying he would dedicate his life to God if she did not die. I saw that I could not do anything for her," Stipp said. The doctor also gave "graphic testimony" about Steenkamp's wounds, including that her "brain tissue" was matted with hair. During that testimony, Pistorius appeared to cover his ears and later "started dry heaving," the Telegraph reports. (More Oscar Pistorius stories.)