The murder trial of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is on hold while the double amputee undergoes psychiatric testing.
(Transcript from World News Radio)
The order comes after a defence witness testified that he suffered from a "general anxiety disorder".
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For two months, Oscar Pistorius' lawyers have portrayed him as maniacally obsessed with safety after a difficult childhood and in the face of high crime levels in South Africa..
Factors - they argue - help explain his reaction on Valentine's Day last year when he allegedly believed his girlfriend to be an intruder and shot her dead through a locked toilet door.
Chief prosecutor, Gerrie Nel requested the mental testing saying the athlete's defence team may try to use that evidence to limit sentencing, launch an appeal or reset the case.
Judge Thokozile Masipa says after hearing from the defence's psychologist, Doctor Merryl Voster she's satisfied a case has been made to delay the trial for psychological testing.
"Her focus was on her diagnosis and her findings that the accused suffered from a generalised anxiety disorder, which may have affected his conduct on the 14th February 2013."
Doctor Voster had told the court Pistorius had an unstable childhood and the loss of his lower legs in infancy left him emotionally scarred.
Judge Masipa says the doctor went on to claim that this has left Pistorius 'hyper-vigilant'.
"Dr Vorster mentioned for example that the accused, amongst other things, was 'hyper- vigilant'. When asked what she meant by that, she stated, I quote: 'hyper-vigilance is somebody that is over vigilant, so they're constantly looking around, scanning their surroundings for any kind of threat and generally not able to relax' close quote."
Pistorius' family welcomed the reprieve after 32 days in court.
His uncle Arnold Pistorius saying he's confident the mental analysis will enable a fair trial.
"As a family, we are comforted by the thoroughness and detail of this judgment, and Judge Masipa's commitment, using every avenue to ensure a fair trial."
South African legal expert John Welch says the outcome of the tests will have a major impact on the course of the trial.
"If the court finds that the accused lacked criminal capacity due to mental incapacity, then the accused will be acquitted and the accused will be referred to a mental institution, basically for the rest of his life but pending a decision of the judge of the High Court sometime in the future."
But Mr Welch says if the assessment instead shows diminished criminal capacity, the trial will continue and if convicted the 27-year old sprinter again faces life in prison.
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