The defence in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius has been postponed until 7 April as one of the assessors assisting the judge has been taken ill. Prosecutors allege that he killed her after an argument. The man who racing commentators said was... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE: In this file photo taken Monday March 10, 2014, Oscar Pistorius cries as he listens to cross questioning about the events surrounding the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, in court... (Associated Press) 
 
 FILE: In this file photo taken Monday, March 24, 2014, Oscar Pistorius, cries in court as he listens to evidence being given in Pretoria, South Africa, in the murder trial for the shooting death of his... (Associated Press) 
 
 Judge Thokozile Masipa said Friday that one of her two assessors, legal experts who are helping her with the case, was unwell and that the trial had to be delayed. Our correspondent says the defence had been due to address key questions, in particular: 
 
 Allegations from witnesses that Mr Pistorius was reckless with guns and had fired a pistol indiscriminately on two occasions in the past 
 
 Why he didn't check the whereabouts of Ms Steenkamp when he feared an intruder was in the house 
 
 Why, as a person used to handling weapons, he didn't fire a warning shot 
 
 Image caption Oscar Pistorius denies the murder of Reeva Steenkamp 
 
 Ms Steenkamp, a model, reality TV celebrity and law graduate, was hit by four bullets while in the toilet cubicle of Mr Pistorius' home in Pretoria.
– Oscar Pistorius had been expected to take the stand in his murder trial today, but the beginning of the defense case has now been delayed until next month. Judge Thokozile Masipa says one of two legal experts helping her with the case is sick and the trial has been suspended until April 7, reports the AP. The athlete's defense lawyers had been set to begin their case today after four weeks of testimony from the prosecution. Pistorius is not legally obliged to testify, but he was expected to take the stand today as the only witness to girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's death, the BBC notes. He says he shot her after mistaking her for an intruder. When the trial resumes, the defense is expected to address key issues including his alleged past carelessness with firearms and why he failed to check on his girlfriend's whereabouts when he believed there was an intruder in the house.