Expert says Pistorius wasn't wearing prosthetics when he shot into door

PRETORIA, South Africa, March 19 (UPI) -- South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius wasn't wearing prosthetic legs when he shot into a bathroom, killing his girlfriend, an expert testified Wednesday.

During direct examination by prosecutor Gerrie Nel, Capt. Christiaan Mangena, a ballistics expert, said the double-amputee sprinter could have fired from waist position wearing his prostheses but it was "not the most probable" position, the British newspaper the Telegraph reported.

Prosecutors accuse Pistorius of deliberately shooting his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, on Feb. 14, 2013. Pistorius maintains he believed he was firing at an intruder hiding in the bathroom behind the closed door.

Mangena was on the stand for a second day to testify about the bullets, the type of damage they inflict and their trajectory.

Mangena testified that Steenkamp was standing when she was first shot and wounded. Another shot hit and broke her hip, and she fell backward onto a magazine rack in a seated position which, he says, are in line with the bullet holes on the bathroom door.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Barry Roux suggested the magazine rack caused bruising on Steenkamp's back, the Telegraph said. Mangena disagreed, but Roux said the expert hadn't tested that theory.

Roux also said the shooting sequence couldn't be determined, and Mangena again said, "I disagree with that."

Blood spatter expert Ian Van der Nest testified his blood spatter analysis supported the reconstruction of events by Mangena, the Telegraph reported.

Col. Mike Sales, a police mobile phone expert, said his examination of an iPad found no browser history on the device before Feb. 13, 2013 indicating the owner must have deleted it. Searches on Feb. 14, 2013, were for vehicles and several porn sites.

On cross examination, Roux asked Sales if he knew who was conducting the searches and Sales said no.

The court adjourned until Monday. The Telegraph said Nel indicated he wanted to consult witnesses and likely would wrap up the prosecution's case early next week.