Oscar Pistorius released on bail

PRETORIA, South Africa -- Oscar Pistorius walked out of a South African court Friday a free man -- for now -- after a magistrate agreed to release him on bail ahead of his premeditated-murder trial over the shooting death of his girlfriend.

But even as he was driven away from court, arriving at an uncle's home, questions continued to hound the Olympian about what actually happened when he opened fire on Valentine's Day inside his home and killed Reeva Steenkamp.

Chief Magistrate Desmond Nair decided Pistorius was not a flight risk. But as he agreed to bail with harsh restrictions for the athlete, he expressed his own doubts about Pistorius' story that he felt threatened and mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he fired the four shots at her in his bathroom.

Why, Nair asked, didn't he try to locate his girlfriend when he feared an intruder was in the house? Why didn't he try to determine who was in the bathroom? And why would he venture into perceived "danger" -- the bathroom area -- when he could have taken other steps to ensure his safety?

Pistorius' supporters shouted "Yes!" when Nair made his decision after a nearly two-hour explanation of his ruling to a packed courtroom in Pretoria, South Africa's capital.

Nair set the bail at $113,000, with $11,300 in cash up front and proof that the rest is available. The magistrate said Pistorius must hand over his passports and also turn in any other guns that he owns. Pistorius also cannot leave the district of Pretoria without the permission of his probation officer, Nair said, nor can he take drugs or drink alcohol. And he must not return to his home in a gated community in Pretoria's eastern suburbs where he killed Steenkamp on Feb. 14.

During yesterday's long session in Pretoria Magistrate's Court, Pistorius alternately wept and appeared solemn and more composed, especially toward the end as Nair criticized police procedures in the case and as a bail judgment in Pistorius' favor appeared imminent.

Nair set Pistorius' next court appearance for June 4.