South African prosecu

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JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- South African prosecutors pressing a murder charge against Oscar Pistorius secured a meeting Thursday with Apple officials in the United States over accessing potentially crucial evidence on the double-amputee athletes locked iPhone, they said. P.J. Williams Jersey . Pistorius claimed he forgot the password for the cellphone, one of a number found at his upscale villa after he shot dead girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Feb. 14, 2013. Investigators have been seeking help from Apple through the F.B.I. since last year to get access to the phone, a spokesman for South Africas National Prosecuting Authority said. Investigators from South Africa would now meet with Apple officials Thursday at the tech giants headquarters in California, spokesman Nathi Mncube said. Pistorius trial starts Monday, giving both prosecutors and Pistorius defence team just four days to analyze any information on the iPhone. Prosecutors would be obliged to also give any evidence they find to Pistorius lawyers. "It can only add on the evidence we already have," Mncube said in an interview with TV station eNCA. "It cannot be prejudicial to our case. The people concerned, should the evidence be favourable to us, are the defence. Then we have a responsibility to make it available to them as soon as we have it so they can also prepare for the trial." Mncube also confirmed the meeting and the reason behind it separately to The Associated Press after his telephone interview with eNCA. The prosecution maintains that Pistorius had a fight with Steenkamp before killing her, a cornerstone of its case, and information on the Olympians phone may shed light on events before the pre-dawn shooting last Valentines Day. Pistorius says he shot the model and reality TV star after mistaking her for a dangerous intruder. South African prosecutors hope to have the information from the phone by late Thursday, Mncube said, adding that they would make any evidence from the phone available to Pistorius defence lawyers. He wouldnt comment on what prosecutors might be looking for on the phone. But even without access to Pistorius iPhone, Mncube said the state had enough evidence to support the premeditated murder charge. Court documents indicate prosecutors are expected to build much of their case against the world-famous runner on witnesses who the state claims will testify to hearing a woman in Pistorius house screaming before the sound of gunshots. That suggests a fight and contradicts Pistorius version of events. Prosecutors also will likely try to use the trajectory of the bullets from the four shots fired by Pistorius through a toilet door to show he intended to kill Steenkamp and was not fearful and acting in self-defence. "We are very confident that we have sufficient evidence," prosecution spokesman Mncube said. "And that the evidence we have already will be more than sufficient to secure us hopefully a conviction in this matter." Prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Pistorius should he be convicted of murder in Steenkamps killing, meaning he would have to serve at least 25 years in prison before being eligible for parole. There is no death penalty in South Africa. Khairi Fortt Jersey . -- Kevin Stadler might be playing in the Masters for the first time, but hes already showing his old man a thing or two. Drew Brees Jersey . The Canadian tennis players first full season on the WTA Tour was a strong one. She has risen to No. 32 in the world rankings and will likely be seeded at the first Grand Slam event of the 2014 season.ARLINGTON, Texas -- All Adam Rosales had to do was watch four pitches miss their mark. Tampa Bays Cesar Ramos walked Rosales with two outs in the 14th inning to force in the winning run and the Texas Rangers beat the Rays 3-2 on Tuesday night. Ramos (2-5), the Rays seventh pitcher, walked Rosales on four pitches, allowing pinch-running pitcher Nick Martinez to score. "Thats just unacceptable on my part," Ramos said. Texas sixth pitcher, Scott Baker (1-3) earned the victory with two scoreless innings. The Rangers had lost all 20 games in which he appeared before Tuesday. "Baker got the job done, and now hes got a win," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. Geovany Soto reached on third baseman Evan Longorias error with one out in the 14th. Martinez entered and advanced on singles by Rougned Odor and Shin-Soo Choo. "I just kind of went off Elvis (Andrus) at-bat," Rosales said. "He really didnt give Elvis too many good pitches to hit, so I figured Youve got to be really patient with this guy." Rays manager Joe Maddon said, "Just throw a strike there. Give us a chance." In contrast, Texas pitchers allowed no walks. Rangers starter Nick Tepesch allowed no hits until Sean Rodriguez singled to lead off the fifth inning. Texas tied the score 2-all in the seventh against reliever Joel Peralta. Odors sacrifice fly and a double by Choo drove in the runs. Rays right fielder Kevin Kiermaier then threw out Choo trying to score on Andrus single. Desmond Jennings and Matt Joyce tripled and scored for the Rays two runs in the sixth. Tampa Bays Jeremy Hellickson pitched six scoreless innings, allowing six hits. He preserved the Rays 2-0 lead in the sixth after Texas put runners on seconnd and third with one out. Ryan Ramczyk Jersey. Tepesch allowed four hits and no walks in seven innings. Texas bullpen went another seven innings without allowing a walk - and only two hits. "Outstanding," Washington said. "The biggest one was (Roman) Mendez coming in and getting Longoria (with two out in the eighth)." Said Rosales: "Thank goodness our pitching staff really kept us in it." TRAINERS ROOM Rangers: RF Alex Rios (sprained right ankle) wasnt in the lineup for the second consecutive game, but pinch hit in the 13th inning. ... RHP Tanner Scheppers, out for the season with an inflamed elbow, said he would be a reliever next year. Rays: Kiermaier, who left Mondays game because of tightness in his left lower back, returned to the lineup. UP NEXT The teams will play the third game of a four-game set Wednesday night. Tampa Bay: RHP Chris Archer (7-6, 3.33) hasnt pitched in Arlington, and is 0-0 with a 2.77 career starts against Texas. Rangers: RHP Miles Mikolas (1-4), who has lowered his ERA from 10.05 to 6.57 in his last four starts, will face the Rays for the first time. SNAPPING A SLUMP Texas CF Leonys Martin, hitless in his previous 12 at-bats, singled four times for his first career four-hit game. He had been 6-for-54 in his previous 16 games. CHALLENGING The Rays won a fifth-inning challenge and lost one in the 10th. First, Martin was called safe on a slide at second base, but after review he was out. In the 10th, replay confirmed that Zobrist was out at first. PERFECT ANNIVERSARY Before the bottom of the second inning, Ivan Rodriguez represented the Rangers in recognizing retired LHP Kenny Rogers. He had the only perfect game in franchise history, on July 28, 1994. Rodriguez caught Rogers that night. ' ' '