The killing happened when Pistorius was on the top of his fame and simply months after he had develop into the primary double-amputee to compete on the Olympics. Generally known as the “Blade Runner”, he was additionally a a number of Paralympic sprinting champion and considered one of sport’s most marketable figures, having overcome the amputation of each his legs beneath the knee as a child to run on specifically designed carbon-fibre blades.
June and Barry Steenkamp at Pretoria’s Excessive Court docket in 2014. Earlier this yr, they mentioned they needed Pistorius to stay in jail for all times.Credit score: AP
At his sensational homicide trial – which was carried by TV channels throughout the globe – prosecutors argued there was one other facet to Pistorius’ life that concerned weapons, nightclubs and indignant confrontations with others. Pistorius was additionally discovered responsible of a second cost of recklessly firing a gun in a restaurant.
Steenkamp’s mom, June Steenkamp, is not going to oppose Pistorius’ parole, her lawyer mentioned in a message to The Related Press. Steenkamp’s father, Barry Steenkamp, died in September, and June’s determination to not oppose Pistorius’ early launch is an obvious softening of the household’s place.
June and Barry Steenkamp gave an interview to a British newspaper in February for the tenth anniversary of their daughter’s dying. They mentioned that they had not forgiven Pistorius for killing her, nonetheless believed he shot her deliberately in anger, and needed him to remain in jail for the remainder of his life.
Reeva Steenkamp was a 29-year-old mannequin and actuality TV star.
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June Steenkamp attended Pistorius’ first parole listening to in March to oppose his launch however is not going to attend on Friday, mentioned her lawyer, Tania Koen. A lawyer will learn out a press release from June Steenkamp at this listening to, Koen mentioned.
It’s not assured that Pistorius will likely be launched when he seems earlier than the parole board in Pretoria.
Parole boards take a variety of things into consideration, together with the offender’s conduct in jail, their psychological well being, and any threat posed to the neighborhood by their launch. In addition they have varied variations of parole accessible to them. Pistorius may very well be launched on full parole or day parole, the place he can stay and work locally however should return to jail at evening.
South Africa’s Division of Corrections mentioned if Pistorius was granted parole, he may not be launched instantly, and it was as much as the parole board “to work out the position date ought to an inmate be declared able to be positioned on parole.”
Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to 13 years and 5 months in jail after being convicted of Reeva Steenkamp’s homicide.Credit score: AP
Pistorius was initially despatched to Pretoria’s central jail, a infamous apartheid-era jail. He was moved to town’s Atteridgeville Correctional Centre in 2016.
There have been solely occasional glimpses of Pistorius’ life behind bars during the last decade. His father has mentioned he has been holding Bible courses for fellow prisoners, though there have additionally been flashes of bother, together with an altercation Pistorius had with one other inmate over a jail phone that left him requiring medical therapy.
AP