Oscar Pistorius Conviction Changed To Murder

Oscar Pistorius was convicted of murder on Thursday by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal, which threw out his earlier conviction on the lesser crime of culpable homicide for killing his girlfriend.

The former track star is now under house arrest at his uncle’s mansion in Pretoria.

Leach added that “as a matter of common sense, at the time the fatal shots were fired the possibility of the death of a person behind the door was clearly an obvious result”.

Steenkamp’s mother June was in court, but made no immediate comment.

Prosecutors had argued that the 29-year old – known as the “Blade Runner” in a reference to the prosthetic legs he uses when he races – intentionally killed Steenkamp following an argument.

In October, Pistorius was allowed to move from prison, where he served a year of his original five-year sentence, to house detention.

The disgraced Olympic and Paralympic gold medallist was handed a five-year jail sentence for the “culpable homicide” of Miss Steenkamp last year but prosecutors said he should be convicted of murder for firing four shots through a locked toilet door.

The minimum sentence for murder is 15 years but judges can apply some discretion.

Pistorius’s family says they will not be in court today to hear whether or not it believes the athlete is guilty of murder.

Barry Steenkamp, Reeva’s father, welcomed the new verdict.

Following the Supreme Court of Appeals ruling that the paraolympian Pistorius be convicted of murder; not culpable homicide as a lower court had ruled; ACDP MP Steve Swart said justice had been done. His voice breaking with emotion, he said of his daughter: “I’m sure she’ll be able to rest as well now”.

Pistorius, a multiple Paralympic champion, became one of the world’s most famous athletes and the first amputee to run at the Olympics and the able-bodied world championships.

However, he will now return to the original court for re-sentencing.