Pistorius to serve remaining sentence for law grad's slaying on house arrest
Oscar Pistorius. Featureflash
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Almost exactly one year after he was sentenced to five years in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Oscar Pistorius is about to be allowed to serve the rest of his time on house arrest instead of in prison, starting next week.
Law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp was killed at the home of the South African track star on Feb. 14, 2013, after he said he mistook her for an intruder and fired at her through a locked bathroom door. He was convicted of culpable homicide, rather than a more serious charge, in a bench verdict that is under appeal by the prosecution.
The government is seeking both an upgraded conviction of murder and a tougher sentence for Pistorius, 28, reports Agence France-Presse. Prosecutors and Steenkamp’s family contend she was killed intentionally during an argument.
Attorney Tania Koen represents Steenkamp’s family. She said the shift to house arrest had been expected, although the family opposed it, and noted that “nothing will bring Reeva back,” reports CNN.
A lawyer for Pistorius has said he should have been transferred to house arrest in August under standard sentencing procedures.
Before he made headlines in Steenkamp’s slaying, Pistorius was known for winning a landmark sports ruling that allowed him to compete on carbon fiber prosthetic legs in the 2012 Olympics. His lower legs were amputated when he was a baby because he was born without some leg bones.
The Associated Press, the BBC News, CBS News and the Guardian also have stories.
Related coverage:
Business Insider: “Here’s Why Nobody In South Africa, Including Oscar Pistorius, Gets A Jury Trial”
