Oscar Pistorius was involved in an altercation with another man at a bar in South Africa over the weekend. According to Pistorius, clothing company big wig Jared Mortimer aggressively accosted him and started the dust-up. Mortimer claims Pistorius was drunk and sparked the exchange by insulting his friends and South African President Jacob Zuma.
As the Los Angeles Times noted, Pistorius’ spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess said in a statement that Pistorius was minding his business at the VIP Room in Johannesburg when Mortimer approached him and started talking about the Reeva Steenkamp trial.
“The individual in question, according to our client, started to aggressively engage him on matters relating to the trial,” Burgess said. “An argument ensued during which our client asked to be left alone. Oscar left soon thereafter with his cousin.”
Mortimer had a much different story for South African media outlets, claiming that Pistorius was drunk and being aggressive. Pistorius and Mortimer allegedly know each other through some of Oscar’s former friends.
“Oscar said to me, ‘Oh, you are the notorious Jared Mortimer,’” Mortimer told the Star. “Then he started talking about some of my friends, and he said he had statements and evidence that would get my friends into trouble. But he wouldn’t use it because he wasn’t that kind of person.
“He was drunk, but not bad. We were drinking tequila, and I still remember putting down my drink and thinking I couldn’t drink it while my friends were being spoken of like that.”
Mortimer says Pistorius then aggressively jabbed a finger into his chest, so Mortimer responded by shoving him. Pistorius reportedly fell backwards over a chair.
“He was poking me and saying that I would never get the better of him,” Mortimer explained. “He was close to my face and at that point I pushed him to get him away from me. A chair was behind his legs and he fell to the ground.”
Regardless of who is telling the truth, this is not the type of publicity Pistorius needs with his trial set to conclude later this month. Prosecutors have already attempted to prove that he has a temper and that Steenkamp admitted she was afraid of him at times. Bar fights certainly won’t improve the Paralympian’s image.
