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Oscar Pistorius parole hearing postponed Oscar Pistorius parole hearing postponed
(about 1 hour later)
A parole hearing to decide if Oscar Pistorius should be let out of jail before serving his full five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has been postponed. A parole hearing to decide if Oscar Pistorius should be released from prison before serving the full five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp has been postponed, a spokeswoman for his family said.
The hearing had been scheduled for Friday. South African media said the reason for the postponement was so Steenkamp’s family could provide submissions. In the latest stage of a lengthy battle over his sentence, the hearing had been scheduled for Friday. South African media said the postponement was to allow Steenkamp’s family to provide submissions.
“It has been postponed until 21 October. I have not been given the official reason for this,” said Anneliese Burgess, a spokeswoman for the Pistorius family. “It has been postponed until 21 October. I have not been given the official reason for this,” the family spokeswoman, Anneliese Burgess, told Reuters.
Related: Oscar Pistorius must undergo psychotherapy, parole review board rules Related: How Oscar Pistorius's release from prison was blocked
The Paralympic gold medallist was due to have been released on parole in August after serving 10 months, but the justice minister, Michael Masutha, blocked his release, saying the parole hearing had been held prematurely. The Paralympian’s lawyers argue that he should have been allowed out on house arrest in August after serving more than 10 months of his sentence for killing Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013. But he has remained in jail after the justice minister, Michael Masutha, made a last-minute intervention and the case was referred for review.
The parole review board upheld Masutha’s decision this week. Earlier this week, Pistorius’s family accused officials of bowing to “political and media hype” after the star’s release was delayed again.
However, now that the athlete has served a sixth of his sentence, the parole board can legally consider whether or not he should be released to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest. Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide – a charge equivalent to manslaughter – after saying he shot Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door because he mistook her for an intruder.
Pistorius was found guilty in September 2014 of culpable homicide – the equivalent of manslaughter – after he fired four 9mm shots through a locked toilet door at his Pretoria home, killing Steenkamp almost instantly. Related: Oscar Pistorius trial: the full story, day by day
At a globally televised trial he argued that he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar. Pistorius faces a further test on 3 November when prosecutors will appeal to South Africa’s supreme court to try to secure a murder conviction and a stronger sentence.
Prosecutors are appealing the culpable homicide verdict, arguing it should be murder because Pistorius must have known that the person behind the door could be killed. That appeal is due to be heard on 3 November. Steenkamp’s parents have opposed parole for the athlete.
Reuters and Agence France-Presse contributed to this report