Gun expert says Pistorius defence doesn't stand up, lawyer comment

(27 Feb 2013) Johannesburg - 26 February 2013 1. Gun enthusiasts firing weapons at shooting range 2. Close-up of bullets hitting target 3. Reverse of man firing pistol at target 4. Gun enthusiasts being supervised by instructor 5. Various close-ups of guns and ammunition 6. Wide of man firing at target, under supervision of instructor 7. Various exteriors of International Firearm Training Academy 8. Various of Professional Firearm Trainers Council President Andre Pretorius inspecting weapons at shooting range 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Andre Pretorius, President, Professional Firearm Trainers Council: "There is no justification for shooting through a door without confirming a threat to life on the other side. In order to satisfy the needs of section 49 of our Criminal Procedures Act, a bona fide threat to life must be established before you may use force against another person." Pretoria - 14 February 2013 10. Exterior of complex where Oscar Pistorius shot Reeva Steenkamp Pretoria - 20 February 2013 11. Pistorius entering court for bail hearing 12. Wide of Pistorius in court Johannesburg - 26 February 2013 13. Various of expert in firearms law Martin Hood talking to colleague 14. SOUNDBITE (English) Martin Hood, expert in firearms law: "To shoot someone in self-defence in South Africa, there must be an attack against you, that attack must be of a serious nature where harm or death may result. In Pistorius's case, there was no attack, no threat, because he fired through a closed door. That's not justifiable in South African law." Johannesburg - 27 February 2013 15. Wide of Pot Shot firearms store with owner displaying rifle to customer 16. Various of store owner discussing rifle with customer 17. Wide of firearms on display in store 18. SOUNDBITE (English) Mike Henn, firearms retailer: "We buy firearms for protection. The constitution says, 'yes, you may protect yourself if the system cannot protect you,' and therefore I do believe that we must clamp down on crime and we must get the system cleaner." 19. Wide of Pot Shot firearms store STORYLINE: Firearms instructors and legal experts say 26-year-old track star Oscar Pistorius violated South African gun laws by firing into a closed door without knowing who was behind it. The athlete testified that he shot at a closed toilet door, fearing there was an intruder on the other side. Instead, it was his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Experts say there was no direct threat to the athlete's life when he opened fire, exposing him to charges of murder or culpable homicide - irrespective of whether he intended to kill his girlfriend. Despite widespread weapons-related crime, the country has stringent gun-control laws. It's much harder to get a gun permit in South Africa than in many other countries. The International Firearm Training Academy, on an industrial estate in Johannesburg, is one of many hundreds of weapons training ranges spread across South Africa. To qualify for a licence, applicants have to pass exams showing they understand the regulations governing the use of lethal force for self-defence. Pistorius passed his competency test in 2010, and should have known that firing blindly into a door broke basic regulations, said Andre Pretorius, president of the Professional Firearm Trainers Council. "There is no justification for shooting through a door without confirming a threat to life on the other side," he said. "A bona fide threat to life must be established before you may use force against another person," Pretorius added. Many South Africans possess firearms, mostly to protect themselves against crime. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...