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.
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.
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.
In early September, Judge Masipa found Mr. Pistorius, 27, guilty of culpable homicide — equivalent to manslaughter — and several firearms offenses. But she acquitted him on more serious murder charges.
The prosecution had sought a 10-year jail term, and 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. Under South African law, both the defense and the prosecution may now appeal.
The New York Times