Paralympic Gold Medalist Oscar Pistorius Up for Parole
Johannesburg - Imprisoned former Paralympic gold medalist and Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius is being considered for parole. The South African parole board will meet to determine whether Pistorius will be released after more than 10 years in prison for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentines Day 2013.
The parole board will take into account Pistorius' behavior and record while in prison, his participation in educational or training programs, his mental and physical health, the likelihood of him reoffending, and the potential risk he poses to the public.
The highly publicized 2014 trial captivated audiences worldwide as prosecutors argued that Pistorius intentionally shot his girlfriend through a locked bathroom door. Pistorius has consistently maintained that the shooting was a tragic accident and that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder.
After a successful appeal, he was ultimately convicted of murder. This came after an initial conviction for culpable homicide, a lesser charge similar to manslaughter in the U.S. In 2017, he was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison, taking into account the time he had already served during the appeal process.
On his 37th birthday, the double amputee lost his first bid for parole in March. The Department of Correctional Service stated that he had not completed the minimum detention period required for parole eligibility. In South Africa, inmates must serve half of their sentence to be eligible for parole. In March, authorities determined that half of Pistorius' sentence would be measured from his last conviction. However, the Constitutional Court overturned this ruling last month, stating that the date must be determined from the first day of serving time in prison.
Several lawyers have speculated that Pistorius is likely to be granted parole on Friday. However, the actual release could take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks after the parole board's decision.
Pistorius has been serving his sentence at Atteridgeville Prison, located west of Pretoria. Earlier this year, social workers inspected his uncle Arno Pistorius's property in Pretoria, where he will serve the remainder of his sentence if parole is granted. The terms of parole in South Africa vary, but they can include wearing an electronic tag to monitor movements and a prohibition on making money from media interviews about the individual's incarceration.
Steenkamp's Mother Speaks Out at Parole Hearing
At the parole hearing for Oscar Pistorius, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, June Steenkamp, did not personally address the parole board. However, a representative read out a family impact statement on her behalf. Earlier this year, the Steenkamp family's lawyer stated their opposition to Pistorius's bail, stating that unless he admits to intentionally killing their daughter, he cannot be considered remorseful.
Pistorius gained international fame as the first double amputee to compete against able-bodied sprinters at the London Olympics the year before the murder.
