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Oscar Pistorius to Be Sentenced in Killing of Girlfriend Oscar Pistorius to Be Sentenced in Killing of Girlfriend
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — Oscar Pistorius, the disabled South African athlete found guilty a month ago of killing his girlfriend, appeared in a Pretoria courtroom on Monday to discover what sentence he will face. LONDON — Oscar Pistorius, the disabled South African athlete found guilty a month ago of killing his girlfriend, returned to a Pretoria courtroom on Monday as his lawyers began a new struggle with prosecutors over the severity of the sentence he should face.
Mr. Pistorius, 27, was acquitted early September of the more serious murder charges in the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, a law graduate and model. If convicted of premeditated murder, the runner — a Paralympic star who had competed against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 Olympics in London — would have faced a mandatory minimum jail term of 25 years. Seeking leniency from Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa, Mr. Pistorius’s defense team called his personal psychologist, who has counseled him throughout the seven-month trial and who described him on Monday as “a broken man who lost everything.”
But Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa found him guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, after he admitted shooting Ms. Steenkamp, 29, to death. Mr. Pistorius, 27, was acquitted early September of more serious murder charges in the shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, a law graduate and model. If convicted of premeditated murder, the runner — a Paralympic star who had competed against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 Olympics in London — would have faced a mandatory minimum jail term of 25 years.
But Judge Masipa found him guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, after he admitted shooting Ms. Steenkamp, 29, to death.
Mr. Pistorius depicted the killing as a mistake inspired by the belief that an intruder had entered his home on Feb. 14, 2013. By his own account, he fired four rounds from a handgun through a locked toilet cubicle door, only to discover Ms. Steenkamp’s bloodstained body inside.Mr. Pistorius depicted the killing as a mistake inspired by the belief that an intruder had entered his home on Feb. 14, 2013. By his own account, he fired four rounds from a handgun through a locked toilet cubicle door, only to discover Ms. Steenkamp’s bloodstained body inside.
The prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, said Mr. Pistorius killed her deliberately after a quarrel, but Judge Masipa rejected the prosecutor’s argument. Her decision left the prosecution smarting and likely to press for a harsh punishment while the defense argues for leniency. Both sides will be able to appeal her decision.The prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, said Mr. Pistorius killed her deliberately after a quarrel, but Judge Masipa rejected the prosecutor’s argument. Her decision left the prosecution smarting and likely to press for a harsh punishment while the defense argues for leniency. Both sides will be able to appeal her decision.
South African news reports said sentencing procedures could take several days. Judge Masipa has discretion over possible punishments ranging from a fine to a 15-year prison term. Mr. Nel said Monday he would call more than one witness to the hearings. Asked by the judge if he would need more than a week, Mr. Nel replied, “I hope not.” Judge Masipa has discretion over possible punishments ranging from a fine to a 15-year prison term. Mr. Nel said Monday that he would call more than one witness to the hearings. Asked by the judge if he would need more than a week, Mr. Nel replied, “I hope not.”
The lead defense lawyer, Barry Roux, said he would call four witnesses, beginning with Dr. Lore Hartzenberg, the athlete’s personal psychologist, who said flashback images of the shooting would always be with Mr. Pistorius. He has been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder.The lead defense lawyer, Barry Roux, said he would call four witnesses, beginning with Dr. Lore Hartzenberg, the athlete’s personal psychologist, who said flashback images of the shooting would always be with Mr. Pistorius. He has been found to have post-traumatic stress disorder.
After the killing, he was in an “a spiral of grief without resolution” and “directed anger and blame towards himself.” After the killing, he was in an “a spiral of grief without resolution,” Dr. Hartzenberg said, and “directed anger and blame towards himself.”
“I can confirm his remorse and pain to be genuine,” she said. “We are left with a broken man who lost everything.” Her testimony was broadcast live but in audio only after she, like several other witnesses during the trial, requested not to be shown on television.“I can confirm his remorse and pain to be genuine,” she said. “We are left with a broken man who lost everything.” Her testimony was broadcast live but in audio only after she, like several other witnesses during the trial, requested not to be shown on television.
Dr. Hartzenberg’s evidence was seemingly intended by the defense to buttress its case that, as a first-time offender who has shown remorse and suffered deep psychological scars, Mr. Pistorius should received a light sentence. Dr. Hartzenberg’s evidence was seemingly intended by the defense to buttress its case that, as a first-time offender who has shown remorse and suffered deep psychological scars, Mr. Pistorius should received a light sentence and should not go to prison.
But Mr. Nel challenged her depiction of his plight. “We are dealing with a broken man, but he is still alive,” he said. “He can still pursue his career and more.”But Mr. Nel challenged her depiction of his plight. “We are dealing with a broken man, but he is still alive,” he said. “He can still pursue his career and more.”
Judge Masipa’s verdict last month stirred wide and sometimes angry debate, with some critics saying that Mr. Pistorius should have been found guilty of more serious murder charges.
The case has fascinated many who had seen Mr. Pistorius’s track achievements as an emblem of a broader human resolve to overcome physical challenges. Born without fibulas, the athlete, nicknamed the Blade Runner for the scythe-like prosthetics he used to compete, lost both legs below the knee in a double amputation at the age of 11 months.The case has fascinated many who had seen Mr. Pistorius’s track achievements as an emblem of a broader human resolve to overcome physical challenges. Born without fibulas, the athlete, nicknamed the Blade Runner for the scythe-like prosthetics he used to compete, lost both legs below the knee in a double amputation at the age of 11 months.
But, 20 years after the formal end of apartheid, the hearings also confronted many South Africans with worrisome questions about the nature of justice in a society still riven by racial distinctions and suspicions among the black majority that wealthy whites enjoy preferential justice. But 20 years after the formal end of apartheid, the hearings also confronted many South Africans with worrisome questions about the nature of justice in a society still riven by racial distinctions and suspicions among the black majority that wealthy whites enjoy preferential justice.
The trial opened in March and was initially set to last three weeks. Through moments of high drama and frequent delays, the trial has offered an iconoclastic vision of a black female judge presiding over a courtroom in which the defendant, most witnesses and the legal counsel were all white males. The trial opened in March and was initially set to last three weeks. Through moments of high drama and frequent delays, the trial has offered an iconoclastic vision of a black female judge presiding over a courtroom in which the defendant, most witnesses and the legal counsel were all white men.