Court sets Pistorius trial date

The Pretoria Magistrates Court granted a delay in the case of Oscar Pistorius on Tuesday. His defense team had requested Magistrate Daniel Thulare allow a postponement until August 19, arguing that authorities needed more time to complete an investigation before a trial could begin. 

The 26-year-old athlete's appearance in the Pretoria court was his first since being granted bail in late February.

Pistorius was charged with pre-meditated murder in the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp after authorities found her dead with four gunshot wounds in his bathroom on Valentine's Day.

Steenkamp, 29, was well-known as a model and reality TV star.

While in police custody, Pistorius confessed to having shot her, but claimed that he had acted in self-defense. He had fired at what he had believed to be an intruder behind his locked bathroom door.

Judge Desmond Nair granted Pistorius bail, set at 1 million rand (85,500 euros, $113,000), citing the statement he had submitted to the court in which he admitted to an accidental killing of Steenkamp.

The double amputee athlete - nicknamed the "Blade Runner"  for his carbon fiber prosthetics - rose to international fame at the London Olympics and Paralympics of 2012. He was the first double amputee to ever compete against able-bodied athletes in the Olympic games.

kms/ng (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)