14 DAY TRIAL // It’s a surprising turn of events in the mediated case of South African athlete Oscar Pistorius who has been accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year in a weird clash in their home, after yesterday judge Thokozile Masipa revealed that the prosecution had not provided enough evidence to prove the marathon runner was guilty of premeditated murder.
Today, as the verdict trial is still going on at the moment, the South African judge has announced that she finds Pistorius guilty of culpable murder, meaning that he killed his girlfriend by accident. At around 9:20 am, Masipa asked the accused to stand and told him he was being charged with negligently killing the victim.
Masipa tells Pistorius he is guilty of negligent murder, the victim's family collapses
He was also found guilty of one of his gun charges, the one of negligence in regards to firearms charge relating to an incident that occurred at Tashas restaurant. After the verdict was read, Steenkamp's father was seen leaning forward in his seat, while his wife showed no reaction.
Masipa's decision has already been criticized by experts in the field who think that the evidence was there to prove Pistorius had deliberately shot Reeva Steenkamp after an argument on Valentine's Day last year.
The judge claims that the prosecution presented “purely circumstantial” evidence and that she believed the shots he fired through the closed bathroom door were “genuinely mistakes.” However, she did concede that when he fired the shot, he “acted unlawfully” – hence the culpable murder charge.
Experts believe that Masipa's murder verdict can be appealed by the state
At the moment, the accused is looking at a possible sentence of 15 years in prison, following his conviction of culpable murder. By comparison, the charge of premeditated murder would have landed him in jail for 25 years to life. The sentence, equivalent to manslaughter, has no minimum sentence and can also be given as a suspended term, if the judge sees it fitting.
The trial is still ongoing, it could still bring a big surprise by the end
It was expected that the verdict on this complicated trial could take up to 48 hours to be fully delivered. Yesterday judge Masipa seemed a little hesitant in the beginning of the trial, but she soon gained her composure and read her verdict matter-of-factly, as the accused looked remorseful while sitting alone in his box.
The trial is still on-going and can be watched by clinking on the video below.
