Athletics
The defense rests its case against Oscar Pistorius
JOHANNESBURG – The murder trial of Oscar Pistorius moved closer to a verdict Tuesday when the defense ended its case. In early August, the judge will hear final arguments that will highlight opposing portraits of the Paralympic athlete – a gun-obsessed egotist who shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a rage or a vulnerable figure with a disability who pulled the trigger in a tragic case of mistaken identity.
The trial has transfixed South Africans and others around the world who recall the double-amputee runner competing on carbon fiber blades at the 2012 Olympics in London. The triumphant image of Pistorius racing alongside able-bodied athletes contrasts with the anguished spectacle in the Pretoria courtroom, where he faced a blistering interrogation by the prosecutor and sometimes retched and wailed in apparent distress, spittle dripping into a bucket at his feet.
Pistorius, 27, was among several dozen witnesses, ranging from neighbors who heard screams on the night he killed Steenkamp, to experts who talked about the trajectory of the four bullets he fired through a closed toilet door to a former girlfriend and a sports physician who treated the star athlete for years. Pistorius said he killed Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, by mistake, thinking an intruder was in the toilet and about to attack him; the prosecution said he shot her after a Valentine’s Day argument last year.
MLB
Bautista, Tulowitzki fill out their derby lineups
NEW YORK – Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki announced three members of their respective teams for Monday night’s Home Run Derby at Target Field.
Joining Bautista on the American League team are Oakland’s Yoenis Cespedes, who was last year’s Derby winner, Brian Dozier of the host Twins and Baltimore’s Adam Jones.
Tulowitzki will have Cincinnati’s Todd Frazier, the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig and Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton, who entered Tuesday leading the National League in homers, on his side.
The final slugger in each league will be announced Thursday.
Cederstrom will crew chief the All-Star game
NEW YORK – Gary Cederstrom is going to be the home plate umpire for next week’s All-Star game at Target Field in Minnesota.
Cederstrom also will serve as the crew chief in his second career All-Star game. He was the third-base umpire for the 2003 game at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.
Jeff Nelson (first base), Bob Davidson (second base), Scott Barry (third base), Todd Tichenor (left field) and Vic Carapazza (right field) also have been assigned to this year’s Midsummer Classic. Jerry Layne will serve as the replay official based in New York.
The official scorers for the game will be Stew Thornley, Gregg Wong and La Velle Neal, the president of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
NBA
‘I have to go,’ then Sterling walks out of courtroom
LOS ANGELES – Donald Sterling, fighting his wife’s planned $2-billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers, arrived in court Tuesday to give testimony but sat stolidly as a psychiatrist testified that he’s mentally incapable of handling financial affairs.
Sterling was ordered to take the witness stand after failing to appear for the start of the lawsuit trial Monday afternoon. His lawyers are challenging the authority of Shelly Sterling under a family trust to unilaterally cut a deal for the team with former Microsoft chief executive officer Steve Ballmer.
The NBA has moved to oust Sterling from team ownership because of racist remarks he made to a girlfriend, and a neurologist hired by his wife testified Monday that she believed he has Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. James Sparr said Sterling was cooperative, friendly and relaxed until a final question challenged his abilities. A frustrated Sterling then said, “‘I have to go,’ and walked out of the room,” Sparr said.
Associated Press
