2023-11-24 12:11:15
(CNN) — Oscar Pistorius will be released on parole in January, prison authorities announced this Friday, almost 11 years following the former South African Paralympic sprinter murdered his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius shot Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door of her home in 2013, denying that he killed her in a fit of rage and saying instead that he had mistaken her for an intruder. He was initially sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison.
The athlete, known as “Blade Runner” for his carbon fiber prosthetic legs and once hailed as an inspirational figure following competing in the 2012 Olympics, became the center of an investigation that was followed around the world. world.
During the trial, Pistorius pleaded not guilty to one count of murder and one count of firearms possession associated with Steenkamp’s murder.
Prosecutors argued that his murder was deliberate and that the shooting occurred following the couple had an argument.
He frequently broke down in court and his past behavior was closely scrutinized.
Pistorius was convicted of manslaughter in 2014 and sentenced to five years. But a higher court overturned the conviction and changed it to murder a year later, increasing his sentence to six years in prison.
The ruling was appealed by prosecutors who claimed the sentence was too lenient. Pistorius’ sentence was increased to 13 years and five months by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal in 2017.
Nimi Princewill and Niamh Kennedy contributed to this report.
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