Pretoria, South Africa: The judge in Oscar Pistorius' murder trial appeared to be heading for a culpable homicide finding Thursday after ruling out both premeditated murder and murder verdicts in the shooting death of the double-amputee Olympic athlete's girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said prosecutors have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Pistorius, 27, is guilty of premeditated murder.
"Culpable homicide is a competent verdict," the judge said, but did not deliver any formal verdicts in the shooting death of Pistorius' 29-year-old girlfriend before calling for a lunch break in the proceedings.