From a globally lauded athlete to convicted killer, Oscar Pistorius’ fall from grace culminated Tuesday with a five-year sentence in the shooting death of his girlfriend.
The sentence was imposed for the charge of culpable homicide, which in South Africa means a person was killed unintentionally, but unlawfully.
Under South African law, he will have to serve at least one-sixth of his sentence — 10 months — before he can ask to be considered for parole.
Pistorius was also given a three-year sentence on a firearms charge, but it was suspended for five years on condition he’s not found guilty of another crime where there’s negligence involving a firearm during that period.
That count related to an occasion when Pistorius discharged a loaded handgun under a table in a busy restaurant. No one was hurt.
During his trial, the double-amputee sprinter often sobbed at the mention of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp’s name. He insisted that he mistook her for an intruder when he shot her through a toilet door on Valentine’s Day 2013.
But there was very little visible reaction from Pistorius as the sentence was read.
Speaking to CNN’s Robyn Curnow in the last few weeks before his sentencing, Pistorius told her that he would respect and accept the decision of the court and that he was not afraid of imprisonment.
He said he hoped to contribute while in prison by teaching people how to read or start a gym or running club.
Source: CNN
