The judge in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius ruled on Wednesday that the Paralympian must undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
Good Morning America reported that Judge Thokozile Masipa granted the request of prosecutor Gerrie Nel to have Pistorius’ mental stability tested. The court hopes to learn from the evaluation whether or not that factored into the 2013 Valentine’s Day shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Many have expressed concerns because the 30-day observation will drag the trial out and delay the proceedings even longer.
"This is not about anyone's convenience, but rather about justice being served," Masipa told the court.
The request for the athlete to be evaluated stems from the testimony of Dr. Merryll Vorster, who said that Pistorius suffers from anxiety which could have played a role in the shooting death of Steenkamp.
The sprint runner is accused of intentionally killing his model girlfriend after the two had an argument. Pistorius, however, contends that he only shot her after mistaking her for an intruder.
He has plead not guilty to murder and weapon charges.