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Oscar Pistorius Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison in Killing of Girlfriend Oscar Pistorius Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison in Killing of Girlfriend
(35 minutes later)
LONDON — Oscar Pistorius, the South African track star once seen as an emblem of triumph over adversity, was sentenced on Tuesday to five years in prison for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. LONDON — With a judge seeking to strike a balance between mercy and retribution, Oscar Pistorius, the South African track star, was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
But, as Mr. Pistorius descended the courtroom steps to begin his sentence, his lawyers said the law under which he was punished calls for him to serve only one-sixth of the prison term — 10 months — before being released to house arrest. The athlete’s defense team said the law under which he was punished calls for him to serve only one-sixth of the prison term — 10 months — before he can be placed on house arrest. He was also given a suspended three-year term on separate firearms charges.
South African legal experts said earlier that Mr. Pistorius could seek parole after serving half of his term. Ms. Steenkamp’s family said it was “satisfied” with the ruling, although the National Prosecuting Authority said it had not yet decided whether to appeal. Ms. Steenkamp’s family said it was “satisfied” with the ruling, although the National Prosecuting Authority said it had not yet decided whether to appeal.
At the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, the South African capital, Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa announced her ruling after seven months of often-delayed hearings that have been broadcast around the world and captivated people in Mr. Pistorius’s own country and abroad. “I’m just glad it’s over,” June Steenkamp, the victim’s mother, told a scrum of reporters outside the courtroom.
Mr. Pistorius’s family said it was not planning to appeal.
After a trial that opened in March and that was initially set to run three weeks, Mr. Pistorius seemed impassive as Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa ordered him to rise to hear his sentence.
Just before he descended the courtroom steps to the holding cells at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, the South African capital, he clasped the hands of relatives but showed little emotion, unlike earlier in the trial, when there were times he wailed, wept and vomited.
The often-delayed hearings have been broadcast around the world, captivating people in Mr. Pistorius’s own country and abroad. Every word has been broadcast — some of it restricted to audio coverage at the request of witnesses — and journalists have chronicled the trial’s every twist and turn in a barrage of Twitter feeds, dispatches and televised interviews and commentary.
Virtually since the moment of the shooting, Mr. Pistorius has been free on bail, living in the luxurious mansion of his uncle Arnold Pistorius. But for now, Martin Hood, a South African lawyer, told Sky News, Mr. Pistorius is a sentenced prisoner and will spend the night in a cell at Pretoria’s main prison.
“It’s going to be a cold, harsh reality for him tonight,” Mr. Hood said.
Live television images showed Mr. Pistorius being driven away from the courtroom in a police van with officers in bulletproof vests hanging from the rear.
In September, Judge Masipa found Mr. Pistorius, 27, guilty of culpable homicide — equivalent to manslaughter — and of several firearms offenses. But she acquitted him on more serious murder charges.In September, Judge Masipa found Mr. Pistorius, 27, guilty of culpable homicide — equivalent to manslaughter — and of several firearms offenses. But she acquitted him on more serious murder charges.
The prosecution had sought a 10-year jail term, while the defense had requested that he be placed under house arrest for three years and perform community service.The prosecution had sought a 10-year jail term, while the defense had requested that he be placed under house arrest for three years and perform community service.
The disabled athlete has admitted killing Ms. Steenkamp, 29, on Feb. 14, 2013, but he said he did so by mistake, firing four rounds from a handgun through a locked toilet cubicle door in the belief that an intruder had entered his home.The disabled athlete has admitted killing Ms. Steenkamp, 29, on Feb. 14, 2013, but he said he did so by mistake, firing four rounds from a handgun through a locked toilet cubicle door in the belief that an intruder had entered his home.
Judge Masipa spent 65 minutes summing up her decision before telling the athlete, “Mr. Pistorius, please rise.”Judge Masipa spent 65 minutes summing up her decision before telling the athlete, “Mr. Pistorius, please rise.”
The judge also imposed a suspended three-year sentence on a separate firearms charge. The court then adjourned, and Mr. Pistorius, who has been free on bail for most of the time since the shooting, was led down the steps inside the courtroom to the cells.
Quoting at length from legal precedents, Judge Masipa said her sentence was “about achieving the right balance — proportionality.”Quoting at length from legal precedents, Judge Masipa said her sentence was “about achieving the right balance — proportionality.”
She was critical of the testimony of two defense witnesses, who had said Mr. Pistorius should be given a sentence of house arrest with community service. But she praised the testimony of Zach Modise, a senior prison services officer who said that South African prisons were equipped to deal with a disabled inmate’s needs. She was critical of the testimony of two defense witnesses, who had recommended a sentence of house arrest with community service. But she praised the testimony of Zach Modise, a senior prison services officer who said that South African prisons were equipped to deal with a disabled inmate’s needs.
Judge Masipa said a long sentence would lack “mercy,” while a more lenient sentence would “send the wrong message to the community.”Judge Masipa said a long sentence would lack “mercy,” while a more lenient sentence would “send the wrong message to the community.”
At the same time, she said, “the courts do not exist to win popularity contests.”At the same time, she said, “the courts do not exist to win popularity contests.”
“It would be a sad day for this country if an impression was created that there is one law for the poor and disadvantaged and another for the rich and famous,” she said.“It would be a sad day for this country if an impression was created that there is one law for the poor and disadvantaged and another for the rich and famous,” she said.
“Righteous anger,” she said, “should not cloud judgment.”
Judge Masipa focused closely on the moment when, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last year, Mr. Pistorius rose from his bed, grabbed a handgun loaded with so-called Black Talon ammunition and pumped four rounds into a locked toilet cubicle door.
Unlike similar cases involving negligence, she said, Mr. Pistorius knew that “someone was behind the door” and his “aim was to shoot the intruder.” He was trained in the use of firearms, which imposed a “high degree of responsibility” on him.
“The toilet was a small cubicle. An intruder would have had no room to maneuver or escape,” she said. Such was the degree of negligence that a noncustodial sentence “would not be appropriate,” the judge said.