Pistorius found guilty of culpable homicide
‘Blade Runner’ faces lengthy jail term; prosecution undecided on appeal
PRETORIA:
Oscar Pistorius was on Friday found guilty of culpable homicide and faced a potential lengthy jail term for shooting dead his glamorous girlfriend, in a case that shattered the Paralympian hero's glittering career.
Pistorius was acquitted of a more serious charge of murder, but South African Judge Thokozile Masipa said on Friday that he had acted ‘negligently’ in killing the blonde law graduate.
The judge agreed to release Pistorius on bail pending sentencing beginning on October 13.
His trial heard that in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013 Pistorius fired four hollow point rounds into a locked toilet door, causing Steenkamp's head to ‘explode’ and ‘amputating’ her arm.
Dismissing swathes of state evidence as inconclusive or irrelevant, Masipa ruled that on the charge of murder "the accused is found not guilty and is discharged, instead he is found guilty of culpable homicide."
"A reasonable person would have foreseen that whoever was behind the door might be killed," said Masipa, adding that Pistorius did not take steps to avoid that.
The ‘Blade Runner’, so nicknamed for the prosthetic legs that powered him to fame, stared straight ahead as the conviction was read, showing little emotion.
But from the gallery there was a sound of sniffles and shallow breaths as friends and family of 29-year-old Steenkamp cried.
Steenkamp's father Barry ran his hand over his head while her mother June pursed her lips and shook her head.
With no mandatory sentence for culpable homicide, Masipa – known for handing out stiff sentences – will have a great deal of discretion over the punishment, which could range from a fine to more than a decade in jail.
"It all comes down to how she feels, how bad the mistake was," said Johannesburg lawyer David Dadic. "It's a very serious negligence crime."
Crime-weary South Africans and legal experts voiced anger and surprise that Pistorius was found not guilty of murder.
The National Prosecuting Authority said it was ‘disappointed’ with the vedict, but had not yet decided on whether to appeal.
Oscar Pistorius was on Friday found guilty of culpable homicide and faced a potential lengthy jail term for shooting dead his glamorous girlfriend, in a case that shattered the Paralympian hero's glittering career.
Pistorius was acquitted of a more serious charge of murder, but South African Judge Thokozile Masipa said on Friday that he had acted ‘negligently’ in killing the blonde law graduate.
The judge agreed to release Pistorius on bail pending sentencing beginning on October 13.
His trial heard that in the early hours of Valentine's Day 2013 Pistorius fired four hollow point rounds into a locked toilet door, causing Steenkamp's head to ‘explode’ and ‘amputating’ her arm.
Dismissing swathes of state evidence as inconclusive or irrelevant, Masipa ruled that on the charge of murder "the accused is found not guilty and is discharged, instead he is found guilty of culpable homicide."
"A reasonable person would have foreseen that whoever was behind the door might be killed," said Masipa, adding that Pistorius did not take steps to avoid that.
The ‘Blade Runner’, so nicknamed for the prosthetic legs that powered him to fame, stared straight ahead as the conviction was read, showing little emotion.
But from the gallery there was a sound of sniffles and shallow breaths as friends and family of 29-year-old Steenkamp cried.
Steenkamp's father Barry ran his hand over his head while her mother June pursed her lips and shook her head.
With no mandatory sentence for culpable homicide, Masipa – known for handing out stiff sentences – will have a great deal of discretion over the punishment, which could range from a fine to more than a decade in jail.
"It all comes down to how she feels, how bad the mistake was," said Johannesburg lawyer David Dadic. "It's a very serious negligence crime."
Crime-weary South Africans and legal experts voiced anger and surprise that Pistorius was found not guilty of murder.
The National Prosecuting Authority said it was ‘disappointed’ with the vedict, but had not yet decided on whether to appeal.