NEWSOscar Pistorius Released From Prison on Parole After Serving 11 Years for Killing Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
Oscar Pistorius, the former South African Paralympian who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, has been released from prison on parole after serving 11 years of his sentence.
The release of Pistorius, who was known as the "Blade Runner" due to his state-of-the-art prosthetic legs, comes after a highly publicized trial.
Oscar Pistorius was released on parole in South Africa.
The tragic incident occurred on February 14, 2013, when Pistorius shot Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door of their home in Pretoria.
The double-amputee claimed that he thought there was an intruder in the house, but prosecutors argued that he intentionally killed her in a fit of rage.
Pistorius pleaded not guilty, but in 2014, he was convicted of culpable homicide or manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison.
In 2015, the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned Pistorius' conviction and found him guilty of murder. He was subsequently sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison for murdering Steenkamp.
After serving half of his sentence, Pistorius was granted parole and is now expected to finish the rest of his sentence in South Africa's community corrections system.
Oscar Pistorius is a former Paralympic champion.
Under the parole conditions, Pistorius will be under the supervision of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) until December 2029.
He will report to a parole officer, notify the officer of any changes in his address or employment status, attend gender-based violence classes, and continue anger management therapy. These conditions have been implemented to ensure that Pistorius is appropriately monitored and continues to address his anger issues.
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Oscar Pistorius served 11 years in prison.
Following his release on Friday, January 4, Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp, released a statement where she said, "Has there been justice for Reeva? Has Oscar served enough time? There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back. We, who remain behind, are the ones serving a life sentence."
"My only desire is that I will be allowed to live my last years in peace with my focus remaining on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, to continue Reeva's legacy," she continued.
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In 2016, Pistorius gave an interview addressing his actions in 2013.
“I did take Reeva’s life, and I have to live with it,” he told outlets. “I can smell the blood. I can feel the warmness of it on my hands. And to know that that’s your fault, that that’s what you’ve done."
“And I understand the pain people feel that loved her and miss her,” he added. “I feel that same pain, I feel that same hate for myself, I feel that same difficulty in understanding this. And I look back and I think – I always think, how did this possibly happen?”
People provided quotes and sources used in this article.
