"The first witness at Oscar Pistorius' murder trial told the court on Monday she heard 'bloodcurdling screams' from a woman followed by shots," Reuters writes.
It was, the wire service adds, "a dramatic opening to a case that could see one of global sports' most admired role models jailed for life."
NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reminds our Newscast Desk that:
"Pistorius was a hero to many in and outside South Africa. He earned the 'Blade Runner' nickname, because of the hi-tech carbon fiber blades he used to power to victory as a paralympian.
"But that image crumpled when Pistorius was accused of premeditated murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's day last year. He says it was a tragic accident and that he mistook the 31 year-old model and law graduate for an intruder."