South African appeals court convicts Oscar Pistorius of murder, overturns

Oscar Pistorius was convicted of murdering his late girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in a South African appeals court hearing on Thursday, Dec. 3.

In overturning the trial ruling, Supreme Court of Appeal Justice Lorimer Eric Leach unpacked exactly how the court interprets dolus eventualis.

South Africa’s top appeals court has upgraded Oscar “Blade Runner” Pistorius’s conviction to murder for killing his girlfriend.

Pistorius was not in court for the verdict – he is now under house arrest at his uncle’s luxurious home after being released in October. In a judgment that was critical of trial judge Thokozile Masipa, and scathing of Pistorius’ own testimony, the Paralympian’s original conviction for culpable homicide was overturned.

Pistorius was not present at the time of the ruling, although Steenkamp’s mother was.

“I have no doubt … the accused must have foreseen and therefore did foresee that whoever was behind that door might die”, Judge Leach said.

Speaking on Sky Sports News HQ, South African legal expert Llewellyn Curlewis stated that Pistorius will stay under house arrest until his sentencing, which is likely to take place in January or February. She was frightened and locked herself in the bathroom through which he shot four times.

Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide in September 2014 and began serving a five-year sentence the following month.

CORRECTS DATE – FILE – In this Friday, Sept. 12, 2015 file photo, Oscar Pistorius puts his hand on his face in court in Pretoria, South Africa, as judgement is passed in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

‘The issue before this court is whether in doing so he committed the crime of murder, the intentional killing of a human being, or the lesser offence of culpable homicide, the negligent killing of another’. But I can finally say that Reeva has made this a big day for South Africa and the world.

“That he feels a lot of remorse, that he’s served nearly one year already – using all that to try to bring down the sentence as low as possible”, said Crawford.

Pistorius killed the 29-year-old model and law graduate at the peak of his fame, following his historic performance in London in 2012 when he became the first double-amputee to race at Olympic level.