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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/jun/15/oscar-pistorius-sentencing-live-day-three-reeva-steenkamp
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| Oscar Pistorius should serve at least 15 years in prison, says prosecution – live | Oscar Pistorius should serve at least 15 years in prison, says prosecution – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 3.17pm BST | |
| 15:17 | |
| Sentencing to take place on 6 July | |
| Masipa says he will hand down her sentence on Thursday 7 July. Roux says he will not be available on that date. It moves to Wednesday 6 July. | |
| Pistorius remains on bail until then. | |
| 3.14pm BST | |
| 15:14 | |
| Steenkamp photos to be published | |
| Masipa says she will deal first with the application to release the photos of Steenkamp’s injuries. | |
| She says it was the state who asked for them to be withheld in the first place. | |
| As a result, she does not think there needs to be a separate application, as the same party – that is , the state – is making the case to make them public now. | |
| She allows the request. | |
| 2.59pm BST | |
| 14:59 | |
| While we wait for the judge to return, some insight on why Oscar Pistorius decided to give an interview to ITV, which will be broadcast next week. It prompted criticism from Gerrie Nel in court, as the prosecutor accused him of giving his version of what happened on the night he killed Reeva Steenkamp to a TV channel and not to the court: | |
| The statement, from Pistorius’ uncle Arnold Pistorius, explains: | |
| We have been deeply respectful of the legal process and mindful not to contribute to the media frenzy that has characterised this case. We declined almost all requests for interviews and comment … | |
| Despite the many, many requests for interviews with Oscar from across the globe – often coupled with huge financial inducements – we have been absolutely consistent in our position that there would be no interview, or media engagement, for Oscar’s financial benefit … Neither Oscar nor the Pistorius family will make any money out of this documentary … | |
| Not knowing what the future holds for Oscar after this week, I decided it was necessary to take up one media offer that would provide our family with a voice … I wish to make it very clear that this engagement with ITV was my decision, and not Oscar’s initiative. | |
| 2.46pm BST | |
| 14:46 | |
| Judge Masipa says she will retire now to think about the application on the photographs and to decide a date for sentencing. The court breaks. | |
| 2.44pm BST | 2.44pm BST |
| 14:44 | 14:44 |
| Roux has finished. Nel returns to the topic of the application to release the photos of Steenkamp. | Roux has finished. Nel returns to the topic of the application to release the photos of Steenkamp. |
| Nel says the court can agree that the photos can only be shown in court, or made available to the media. They are exhibits and so public documents. They were not made public only to “protect the integrity of the deceased”. | Nel says the court can agree that the photos can only be shown in court, or made available to the media. They are exhibits and so public documents. They were not made public only to “protect the integrity of the deceased”. |
| But now, he says, it’s the view of the Steenkamp family that the images ought to be released: | But now, he says, it’s the view of the Steenkamp family that the images ought to be released: |
| They have to bear the consequences … We think it’s time that people should see what those bullets did; what the accused did. | They have to bear the consequences … We think it’s time that people should see what those bullets did; what the accused did. |
| 2.38pm BST | 2.38pm BST |
| 14:38 | 14:38 |
| Barry Roux now turns to his rebuttal of the state’s closing argument. | Barry Roux now turns to his rebuttal of the state’s closing argument. |
| He says Barry Steenkamp repeated in his evidence that he still believes there was an argument between his daughter and Pistorius on the night she was killed. Roux says the state’s decision to pursue a case based on an assumption that Pistorius deliberately killed her has exacerbated the family’s distress. | He says Barry Steenkamp repeated in his evidence that he still believes there was an argument between his daughter and Pistorius on the night she was killed. Roux says the state’s decision to pursue a case based on an assumption that Pistorius deliberately killed her has exacerbated the family’s distress. |
| 2.34pm BST | 2.34pm BST |
| 14:34 | 14:34 |
| Nel asks the judge if she will rule today on the release of the Steenkamp injury photographs. Masipa says this would be extending the scope of these proceedings – we are here for sentencing. | Nel asks the judge if she will rule today on the release of the Steenkamp injury photographs. Masipa says this would be extending the scope of these proceedings – we are here for sentencing. |
| The witness, Barry Steenkamp, testified in these proceedings, Nel says. | The witness, Barry Steenkamp, testified in these proceedings, Nel says. |
| The court should have access to these photographs. The court itself should revisit certain things in sentencing … | The court should have access to these photographs. The court itself should revisit certain things in sentencing … |
| Four bullets tore through her body. The court should take that into account as an aggravating factor … It’s part of sentencing. | Four bullets tore through her body. The court should take that into account as an aggravating factor … It’s part of sentencing. |
| Roux speaks now. He says it should be a separate application that would need separate submissions. This isn’t the appropriate stage, he says. | Roux speaks now. He says it should be a separate application that would need separate submissions. This isn’t the appropriate stage, he says. |
| Must children look at it? … What is going to be achieved? | Must children look at it? … What is going to be achieved? |
| 2.24pm BST | 2.24pm BST |
| 14:24 | 14:24 |
| Nel says Barry Steenkamp did not display anger or hatred towards Pistorius, only grief. He said he should pay for his crime, but not that he must be “sent away for ever”. | Nel says Barry Steenkamp did not display anger or hatred towards Pistorius, only grief. He said he should pay for his crime, but not that he must be “sent away for ever”. |
| 2.18pm BST | 2.18pm BST |
| 14:18 | 14:18 |
| #OscarPistorius Nel: Mr Roux says the accused punishes himself. How?I know Barry Steenkamp punishes himself. BB | #OscarPistorius Nel: Mr Roux says the accused punishes himself. How?I know Barry Steenkamp punishes himself. BB |
| 2.10pm BST | 2.10pm BST |
| 14:10 | 14:10 |
| Nel asks for photographs of Steenkamp's injuries to be made public | Nel asks for photographs of Steenkamp's injuries to be made public |
| Nel asks Judge Masipa to lift the order banning the publication of crime scene photographs of Reeva Steenkamp, as requested by her father in his testimony yesterday. | Nel asks Judge Masipa to lift the order banning the publication of crime scene photographs of Reeva Steenkamp, as requested by her father in his testimony yesterday. |
| Barry Steenkamp said he wanted the world to see the wounds inflicted on her and the pain she must have felt. | Barry Steenkamp said he wanted the world to see the wounds inflicted on her and the pain she must have felt. |
| Carl Pistorius, the defendant’s brother, who is in court, has tweeted to say the move is “distasteful”. | Carl Pistorius, the defendant’s brother, who is in court, has tweeted to say the move is “distasteful”. |
| This application is distasteful to all parties. Except perhaps some parties who stand to profit from such. | This application is distasteful to all parties. Except perhaps some parties who stand to profit from such. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 2.12pm BST | at 2.12pm BST |
| 2.09pm BST | 2.09pm BST |
| 14:09 | 14:09 |
| Nel says the state argues for long-term imprisonment and 15 years should be the minimum. | Nel says the state argues for long-term imprisonment and 15 years should be the minimum. |
| #OscarPistorious -- Nel: We argue for a long term in prison. Minimum of 15 years. I do not think the life of Reeva has a minimum. | #OscarPistorious -- Nel: We argue for a long term in prison. Minimum of 15 years. I do not think the life of Reeva has a minimum. |
| 2.01pm BST | 2.01pm BST |
| 14:01 | 14:01 |
| Nel says the finding that Pistorius did not specifically intend to kill Steenkamp is not a mitigating factor. He says if an offender sets off a bomb that kills 50 people, it does not matter that he does not know the identities of those 50 people. | Nel says the finding that Pistorius did not specifically intend to kill Steenkamp is not a mitigating factor. He says if an offender sets off a bomb that kills 50 people, it does not matter that he does not know the identities of those 50 people. |
| He is guilty of the murder of Reeva. He killed her. | He is guilty of the murder of Reeva. He killed her. |
| Believing he was shooting at an intruder is not a mitigating factor, Nel insists: | Believing he was shooting at an intruder is not a mitigating factor, Nel insists: |
| The identity of the victim is irrelevant to his guilt and irrelevant to sentence. | The identity of the victim is irrelevant to his guilt and irrelevant to sentence. |
| 1.52pm BST | 1.52pm BST |
| 13:52 | 13:52 |
| Nel: 'Reeva can never walk in court' | Nel: 'Reeva can never walk in court' |
| It is fair for the court to take the accused’s personal circumstances into account, Nel says. But in this case, this “recedes into the background” compared with the seriousness of the offence. | It is fair for the court to take the accused’s personal circumstances into account, Nel says. But in this case, this “recedes into the background” compared with the seriousness of the offence. |
| Reeva Steenkamp “disappeared” in this trial, he says. The court should take into account “who she was … what dreams she had”. | Reeva Steenkamp “disappeared” in this trial, he says. The court should take into account “who she was … what dreams she had”. |
| She is just as important as the personal circumstances of the accused … She can never walk in court. | She is just as important as the personal circumstances of the accused … She can never walk in court. |
| It doesn’t matter if Pistorius thought he was firing at an intruder, Nel goes on: | It doesn’t matter if Pistorius thought he was firing at an intruder, Nel goes on: |
| Is an intruder’s life not important? Did he think of that life? | Is an intruder’s life not important? Did he think of that life? |
| Pistorius’ actions were gratuitous, Nel tells the judge: | Pistorius’ actions were gratuitous, Nel tells the judge: |
| I cannot think of a more excessive use of a firearm … He fired four shots that tore up the body of the deceased. | I cannot think of a more excessive use of a firearm … He fired four shots that tore up the body of the deceased. |
| 1.37pm BST | 1.37pm BST |
| 13:37 | 13:37 |
| Nel turns to the issue of remorse. Pistorius has not “taken the court fully into … his confidence” and so genuine remorse can’t be established, he says. We still don’t know the real reason why he fired those shots. | Nel turns to the issue of remorse. Pistorius has not “taken the court fully into … his confidence” and so genuine remorse can’t be established, he says. We still don’t know the real reason why he fired those shots. |
| What motivated him? We don’t know. | What motivated him? We don’t know. |
| Nel says Pistorius’ acceptance of the verdict against him is because “he had to – there was no other way out”. He says Pistorius has shown regret but not remorse. | Nel says Pistorius’ acceptance of the verdict against him is because “he had to – there was no other way out”. He says Pistorius has shown regret but not remorse. |
| I caused her death is not the same as I murdered her. | I caused her death is not the same as I murdered her. |
| Without that, there can be no remorse. | Without that, there can be no remorse. |
| The prospects of rehabilitation are remote for as long as Pistorius fails to acknowledge the crime of which he has been convicted. | The prospects of rehabilitation are remote for as long as Pistorius fails to acknowledge the crime of which he has been convicted. |
| What the court has heard is that the accused elected to give an interview to the TV but not take this court into his confidence. That’s disrespectful to the court, it’s disrespectful to the victims of this crime, it’s disrespectful to the deceased. | What the court has heard is that the accused elected to give an interview to the TV but not take this court into his confidence. That’s disrespectful to the court, it’s disrespectful to the victims of this crime, it’s disrespectful to the deceased. |