Pistorius murder trial to start March 2014

The trial of Olympic and Paralympic running star Oscar Pistorius, accused of murdering his model girlfriend, will start on March 3 next year in a South African high court and run until March 23, a magistrate judge said on Monday.

Double-amputee Pistorius, 26 and known as "Blade Runner" for the prostheses he wears in competition, fired four shots at Reeva Steenkamp through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home on Valentine's Day. Pistorius claims he was acting in self-defence against what he thought was an intruder. (Reuters)