Oscar Pistorius could be spared jail over girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp’s killing, despite yesterday being found guilty of blasting her to death.
The Paralympic sprinter was convicted of culpable homicide – the equivalent to manslaughter – and bailed in a dramatic trial that has captivated the world.
Pistorius, 27, fired four shots through his bathroom door, killing 29-year-old Reeva on Valentine’s Day last year.
Sentences for manslaughter in South Africa can vary from 20 years behind bars to fines and community service – known there as correctional supervision.
And after the verdict, Reeva’s distraught family said “justice was not served”, as it emerged he may never go to jail and could instead only be left out of pocket.
Dr Llewellyn Curlewis, of the South African Law Society, said: “The most probable sentence in my mind is correctional supervision. The court would have very wide discretion about what happens.”
At Pretoria high court, Pistorius sighed and shut his eyes as Judge Thokozile Masipa told him he was cleared of murder. She appeared to believe his version that he thought Reeva was an intruder hiding in his toilet who was going to attack them.
He spent just one hour in a cell alone, awaiting the decision on bail, and had appeared reluctant to be taken down by a police officer.
Earlier he had been in good spirits and had even hugged his dad Henke, with whom he has had a strained relationship.
On the opposite side of the court Reeva’s family and friends were in tears after hearing he would be allowed to leave a free man until sentencing on October 13. A pal said they were “very disappointed” with the verdicts but “were trying to stay strong”.
In an interview later, Reeva’s parents Barry and June slammed the judge’s decision. June told NBC News: “I really don’t care what happens to Oscar. It’s not going to change anything because my daughter is never coming back.
“He’s still living and breathing, you know, and she’s gone for ever. I just don’t feel that this is the right sentence.
In an interview later, Reeva’s parents Barry and June slammed the judge’s decision. June told NBC News: “I really don’t care what happens to Oscar. It’s not going to change anything because my daughter is never coming back.
“He’s still living and breathing, you know, and she’s gone for ever. I just don’t feel that this is the right sentence.
“They believe his story and I don’t believe that story. That’s the difference. There were so many mistakes made. It didn’t add up.”
She went on: “We have had messages from all over the world. She died a horrible death, horrible, painful, terrible death, and she suffered and he shot through the door and I can’t believe that they believe that it was an accident.”
Meanwhile, dad Barry added: “I think it is disbelief from all over the world from people following the case.”
Now the parents have said they want to meet with Pistorius to get the full story.
As well as manslaughter, the Blade Runner was also found guilty of negligence with a gun. But he was cleared of possessing illegal ammunition and firing a gun through a car sunroof on a separate occasion. Ruling on Reeva’s death, the judge accepted Pistorius mistook the law graduate for a burglar at his home in Pretoria.
She said: “How could the accused reasonably have foreseen that the shot would have killed the deceased?”
But she added he was guilty of manslaughter because: “The accused acted negligently when he fired shots into the door, knowing there was someone behind the door and very little room in which to manoeuvre. A reasonable person, in the position of the accused with similar disabilities, would have foreseen that possibility whoever was behind the door might have been killed.”
Reeva Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp at the Pretoria High Court
In a judgment lasting about five hours, the judge said she was also persuaded by his conduct after the shooting.
She said: “He acted promptly in seeking help soon after the incident. He shouted for help, he called a friend, he called 911, he called security, although he could not speak as he was crying. He was seen trying to resuscitate the deceased… from the above it cannot be said that the accused did not entertain a genuine belief it was not an intruder.”
As Pistorius left the court to an enormous crowd screaming his name, his uncle, Arnold Pistorius, read a statement.
He said: “On behalf of the family we would really like to show how deeply grateful we are to Judge Masipa, who has found Oscar not guilty of murder. That’s a big burden off our shoulders and Oscar’s.
“We always knew the facts of the matter and we never had any doubt in Oscar’s version of this tragic incident. At this stage the matter remains before the court. We respect the fact the legal process is not over.
“Furthermore, a tragic event like this, there’s no victors in this. We as a family remain deeply infected by the devastating tragedy here and it won’t bring Reeva back, but our hearts still go out to her family and friends.”
However groups campaigning for women’s rights protested outside the court, watched by disillusioned locals.
Thabang Modise, a 37-year-old fast food manager, said: “If it were me, I would be going to jail.”
South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority said it was “disappointed” not to have secured a premeditated murder conviction. But a source later revealed there was a “big chance” it would appeal the not guilty verdicts after sentencing in October.
Yesterday, the runner’s shocked ex of 18 months Samantha Taylor, 20, said Pistorius had been “let off lightly because of who he is”.
Samantha, who had testified in court, added: “We all need to move on with our own lives, and he will have to live with the decision that has been made. Oscar is the only one that knows what happened that night.”
Calling for Pistorius to be locked up, prosecutor Gerrie Nel had told the judge the athlete had sold all his houses and was a flight risk.
He said Pistorius had been convicted of a serious crime and added that the star –who has been living with his uncle Arnold for 18 months – had been involved in a nightclub fracas during the trial.
Meanwhile, experts believe Pistorius is a suicide risk who thinks it would be “easier if he were dead”, it emerged in the trial. Doctors warned if he did not get help he could kill himself after losing all interest in living and instead turning to booze.
The star told psychiatrists he felt worthless and that he was being punished and had thoughts of suicide.
Medical experts who tested the athlete also said he was “distrustful of motives of glamorous women and not convinced they can fulfil his emotional needs”. They revealed he was taking antidepressants and sleeping pills.
REPORTS FROM MIRROW.CO.UK
No comments:
Post a Comment