Court proceedings against Oscar Pistorius to begin today

Oscar Pistorius, a star on both the Olympic and Paralympic tracks, will be in the dock today in Pretoria, charged with the murder of his girlfriend in February last year. 

He is expected to plead not guilty to the charges that he planned the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a model, women's rights advocate and socialite, after an argument on 14 February 2013. Pistorius claims that he shot Steenkamp by accident, thinking her an intruder in their home.

He has already admitted to culpable homicide, a charge equivalent to manslaughter. If prosecutors can prove an intent to kill, Pistorius faces life in prison with a minimum of 25 years behind bars.