Legal experts voice shock after Oscar Pistorius not found guilty

Both defence and prosecution agree that Oscar Pistorius killed Steenkamp a law graduate and fashion model, when he fired four shots through a locked toilet door in his upmarket Pretoria home.

But the sprinter says he thought he was shooting at an intruder while Steenkamp was safely in bed.

The prosecution says he killed her in a fit of rage after an argument.
Judge Masipa moved quickly through her judgement, rejecting state evidence that pointed to an argument between the couple.

"Neither the evidence of the loving relationship or a relationship turned sour can assist this court to determine whether the accused had the requisite intention to kill the deceased," she said.

The judge also reviewed evidence by neighbours who testified to hearing shots and screams, saying many "had their facts wrong".

She said the huge media coverage of the case could have affected some witnesses.

"I am of the view that they failed to separate what they knew personally or what they heard from other people or what they gathered from the media," she said.

But Masipa also said Pistorius himself was "evasive" on the stand, and that his evidence showed "a number of defences, or apparent defences".

"The accused was a very poor witness," she said.

- 'Reality show' -
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The verdict is the climax of a six-month murder trial that has cast a harsh spotlight on the fallen hero's private life.

Full of high drama, the trial has fed intense media interest worldwide, with live broadcasts veering into the realm of TV reality.