14 DAY TRIAL // Well over a year ago, in February 2013, double-amputee and athlete Oscar Pistorius was taken into police custody after he shot and killed his girlfriend, 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp.
This past September, a judge ruled that the murder had been no more and no less than an accident. Fast forward a few weeks and, this Tuesday, it was announced that the athlete had been sentenced to spending 5 years in prison.
As explained by his defense team, it is possible that Oscar Pistorius will only spend about 10 months, i.e. one-sixth of his prison term, behind bars before being released from jail and placed on house arrest.
The murder of Reeva Steenkamp
As mentioned, Oscar Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp back in February 2013, on the 14th day of the month. Specifically, he used a handgun to shoot her through a locked toilet cubicle door. The incident happened at the athlete's home in South Africa.
The Paralympics champion maintains that he did not mean to kill the 29-year-old woman and that he only fired his gun at her because he mistook her for a burglar. Thus, he claims that he acted in self-defense.
Hence, his defense team argued that he should only be made to spend 3 years on house arrest and to perform community service. More so since he was more than willing to turn himself in and confess to the murder.
The prosecution, on the other hand, is quite convinced that the athlete purposely killed Reeva Steenkamp after getting into a fight with her. Consequently, it demanded that the double-amputee be sentenced to 10 years in jail.
The judge's sentence
Having decided that Oscar Pistorius killed his girlfriend not on purpose but by accident, judge Matilda Masipa in the Gauteng Division of the High Court of South Africa decided to sentence him to 5 years in prison for the killing per se and a suspended 3-year term for separate firearm charges.
By the looks of it, the judge believed that anything less than 5 years would not have done Reeva Steenkamp or her family any justice, and that anything more than that would have meant showing no mercy whatsoever for the athlete.
Following judge Matilda Masipa's announcing the sentence, athlete Oscar Pistorius was taken to a prison in Pretoria, South Africa's capital city. All things considered, it is possible that it is here where he will serve his sentence.
Reactions to the sentence
It is understood that Reeva Steenkamp's family has no intention to appeal the judge's decision. “I'm just glad it's over,” the 29-year-old's mother told the press in an interview, as cited by the New York Times. Whether the National Prosecuting Authority feel the same remains a mystery.
As far as the Paralympics champion's family is concerned, it appears that they too are quite at ease with how things eventually turned out. “We accept the judgement,” said the athlete's uncle, Arnold Pistorius. “Oscar will embrace this opportunity to pay back to society,” he added.
For the time being, Oscar Pistorius hasn't made any official statements on judge Matilda Masipa's sentence. Then again, chances are it will be a while until he opens up about this trial.