Oscar Pistorius' Trial Resumes: Witness Testifies Oscar Was 'Asking God to Help' After Shooting Reeva Steenkamp

A neighbor and friend of Oscar Pistorius testified Monday at his murder trial that the athlete was "torn apart" and desperately trying to save girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp minutes after fatally shooting her at his home last year.

Johan Stander said he received a panicked phone call from Pistorius at around 3:19 a.m. on Feb. 14, 2013 – about two minutes after the shooting. Pistorius told him he had thought Steenkamp was an intruder and shot her, Stander testified, and Stander and his daughter Carice Viljoen went to Pistorius's house after the double-amputee runner pleaded with him to come and help.

"I saw the truth there that morning. I saw it and I feel it. Pistorius was really crying. He was in pain," " Stander testified, saying he believed that the shooting was accidental because of Pistorius's emotional state when they found him carrying a bloodied Steenkamp down the stairs at his villa. 

"He was asking God to help him. He was torn apart, broken, desperate, pleading," Stander said. His own voice shook at one point and he became emotional on the witness stand. "It's difficult really to describe."

Stander and his daughter were the fourth and fifth witnesses called by the defense as it attempted to recover from a shaky start. The defense is trying to reinforce its assertion that Pistorius killed Steenkamp in a tragic error of judgment.