womans screams before gunshots. Proceedings have also focused on

PRETORIA, South Africa - In a day of potentially damaging testimony, a former girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius said at his murder trial Friday that he once shot his gun out of a car sunroof and later cheated on her with the woman he killed last year. Colin Cole Panthers Jersey . And a security guard recalled the athlete telling him everything was "fine" after neighbours reported gunshots coming from Pistorius house on the night of her death. The gripping accounts capped the first week of the televised trial of the double-amputee Olympian, whose chief defence lawyer has tried to sow doubt about the testimony of neighbours who said they heard a womans screams before gunshots. Proceedings have also focused on past incidents involving alleged gunplay, part of an apparent prosecution effort to portray Pistorius, 27, as a hothead who sometimes thought he was above authority. Prosecutors say he intentionally killed Reeva Steenkamp during an argument, but he insists it was a mistake, and that he fired through the locked toilet door in his bathroom believing an intruder was behind it. The security guard, Pieter Baba, testified that he telephoned Pistorius after the reported gunshots in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14, 2013, and that the athlete assured him in their brief conversation: "Security, everything is fine." Moments later, Baba said, Pistorius phoned him back, started crying and didnt say anything and then the line went dead. It was minutes after he shot Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model. "Not everything was in order as Mr. Pistorius was telling me," Baba recalled saying to a fellow guard as they were outside the runners villa. Earlier, ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor, who cried twice during her time on the stand in the Pretoria court, said Pistorius always carried a firearm when they dated and sometimes shouted angrily at her and her friends. There were murmurs in court when Taylor said their relationship ended because Pistorius cheated on her with Steenkamp. Taylor said she started going out with Pistorius in 2011 when she was 17 and that the relationship ended in November 2012. She described some of Pistorius habits, including what side of the bed he slept on at home, the fact that he placed his gun on the bedside table or next to his prostheses on the floor at night and how he would balance against things if he was walking on his stumps. Pistorius was born without fibula bones because of a congenital defect, and his legs were amputated when he was 11 months old. He ran on carbon-fiber blades and is a multiple Paralympic medallist . He also competed at the London Olympics but didnt win a medal. Taylor described one occasion in which Pistorius fired his gun out of a sunroof soon after a policeman stopped their car for speeding. She also mentioned another incident in which she and Pistorius were followed by a car as he drove home. "When we arrived at his estate, he jumped out of the car with his gun and held it to someones window, and then they drove away," Taylor said. Defence lawyer Barry Roux raised the possibility that Pistorius was trying to protect Taylor, though she said did not feel threatened. Taylor also described problems in her relationship with Pistorius, the first amputee to run in the Olympics. "He cheated on me with Reeva Steenkamp," Taylor said. The court later adjourned briefly after Taylor broke down in tears while describing how Pistorius had earlier cheated on her with a different woman, and then again when she cried while discussing her problems with him. Roux, the defence lawyer, said he would produce emails between Taylor and Pistorius to show that her testimony was untrue, and he also sought to highlight apparent gaps in Taylors memory of the alleged sunroof gunfire in September 2012. Roux said Pistorius denies the shooting took place. Taylor also described previous incidents when Pistorius thought there was an intruder trying to get into his home, saying he reacted by waking her up. "There was one occasion when something hit the bathroom window and Oscar woke me up and asked me if I heard it," Taylor said. "He got up with his gun." But he woke you up, asked prosecutor Gerrie Nel. "Yes. There was probably one or two occasions when he woke me up to ask me if I heard something," Taylor replied. Pistorius did not attempt to wake or locate Steenkamp before he shot her by mistake, according to his own version of events. On the night Steenkamp died, security guard Baba said he drove from the main gate of the gated community to Pistorius home with a colleague after neighbours called to report sounds like gunshots from that direction. A few minutes after Babas two brief phone calls with Pistorius, two other people showed up: Johan Stander, a manager of the housing complex whom Pistorius says he called to get an ambulance, and Standers daughter. The group went to the front door of the house and someone pushed it open. Baba said he saw Pistorius coming down the stairs, carrying the bloodied Steenkamp. "I was so shocked," Baba said. "I started regaining my senses when Mr. Stander said Oscar." A.J. Klein Blue Jersey .J. -- Thierry Henry and Lloyd Sam scored second-half goals to give the New York Red Bulls their first win of the season, 2-1 over the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. Chase Authenticburn Authentic Jersey .ca in a 30 Teams In 30 Days tour of the NHL in preparation for the upcoming season.NHL director of officiating Stephen Walkom issued a memo to his on-ice officials on Wednesday, instructing that they start calling a delay of game penalty on any player who ignores a warning to conform to the now-enforced equipment standards. And Carolinas Alex Semin felt the brunt of this call, receiving a two-minute penalty for having his sweater tucked into his pants late in the first period of the Hurricanes preseason game against Columbus. According to the leagues mandate - which gained traction last March at the NHLs general managers meetings - players will be warned and then penalized if they intentionally ignore protocol. Penalties may also be called on players who dont have their hockey pants properly zippered, or for those who choose to play with their sleeves rolled to their elbow pads. Safety concerns are the primary reason for closely monitoring how a player adjusts his sleeves or pants, but the managers issues with those who choose tuck their sweater in speaks more to marketing and identification of the players and his number. And cue the Wayne Gretzky eye roll. By todays standard, every NHL player will have to have his sweater properly draped over his pants and covering all hard equipment...otherwise, he will face the wrath of the fashion poli...er, the referees. Now without question, NHL officials do not - and will not - like having to call these penalties, but league sources insist they will not back off and hope the more penalties called in the preseason will translate into fewer calls in the regular season as the players conform. As an aside, I watched a Pee Wee AAA team practice on Wednesday and counted 11 of 15 skaters with their sweaters tucked. Most of these boys have no idea why they do it, other than they think it looks cool and - of course -  Alex Ovechkin wears his sweater that way. Or, did. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking toward a final decision on the use of hybrid icing in the upcoming regular season.  The NHLPA has to sign off on the change before it can be officially implemented. The PA intends on gathering feedback from players starting next week, but no decision has been made by the players as to how the intel will be gathered. While its too soon to predict how the players will act on the matter in the days ahead, theres reason to believe they will opt to stay with status quo and reject hybrid icing. ----- New Yorks Derrek Stepan and Torontos Cody Franson are continuing their hardball approach as both restricted free agents remain at an impasse in contract negotiations. Antoine Cason Jersey. Given the state of discussions, Stepan - New Yorks top centre last season - is unlikely to be on the Rangers roster when they open Oct. 3 in Phoenix. Sources say that Stepan remains locked on a bridge deal that would pay him $3.5 million per year, while New York would happily sign off on a two-year agreement at $3 million per. Doesnt sound like much, but cap teams like the Rangers are crunching every dollar to comply. While the Rangers see a great future in Stepan, they also like their depth up the middle with Brad Richards, Derick Brassard, Brian Boyle and Dominic Moore. Toronto seems just as happy to start the season without Cody Franson and unless their hand is forced by an offer sheet, the team could let Franson sit for an extended period - as in weeks or months. The Leafs have offered Franson a two-year deal at just under $2.4 million and sound unwilling to accept Fransons counter of a one-year contract unless the money comes in at $2 million or less. Unlikely. Franson deserves more, but if Toronto gives in on a one-year contract, Franson regains arbitration rights next summer - one year out from unrestricted free agency - which puts the Leafs in a very vulnerable bargaining position. Replacing Franson in the lineup is tough, but the addition of Paul Ranger - combined with the potential of Morgan Rielly and Andrew MacWilliam - is fueling the Leafs brass to hold its ground in this dispute. ----- The NHLs Board of Governors meet on Monday in New York. As per usual, this meeting will serve as a state of the NHL update. Franchise matters ranging from the expected sale of the Florida Panthers, the sale of the New Jersey Devils and the latest on the Ilitch familys ownership transfer in Detroit will be covered by the commissioners office. Some around the league expect future expansion to find its way into discussions at the board level on Monday as well. If Seattles plan to construct a new building is followed through, its believed Seattle will remain of interest to the NHL. However, sources say there isnt going to be a major expansion plan or push given the improved financial stability of all 30 NHL teams anytime soon. Until next time... cheap jerseys ' ' '