South African appeals court to rule on Pistorius

South Africa’s “Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius was found guilty on Thursday of murdering his girlfriend, in an appeal court ruling that could see him sent back to prison for at least 15 years. He did not specify when that should happen. However, the law allows for a lesser sentence in exceptional circumstances.

It’s a big deal, considering a couple months ago he was released from prison and put on house arrest after serving less than a year of his 5-year manslaughter sentence. However, the revised ruling means he would serve out his sentence in prison.

The National Prosecuting Authority will wait for word from the trial court about possible sentencing dates, said Luvuyo Mfaku, a spokesman for the authority.

It was never disputed that Pistorius killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013. Pistorius denies deliberately killing Ms Steenkamp, saying he mistook her for an intruder at his home.

Pistorius was previously convicted of culpable homicide by Judge Thokozile Masipa.

Leach said this was a unanimous decision made by all five presiding judges, including Judge President Lex Mpati, Judges Nonkosi Mhlanthla, Eric Leach, Steven Majiedt and acting judge Elizabeth Baartman.

Under that concept, a person can be convicted of murder if he or she foresaw the possibility of someone dying through their actions and went ahead anyway. Pistorius was not there.

Reeva Steenkamp’s father, Barry, told South African television channel ANN7 that he was relieved by the judgment and described it as fair. “We will hear evidence about his disability and how he’s not an appropriate candidate for a long incarceration, especially because his psychiatric report revealed he had suicidal tendencies”, said Karyn Maughan, a journalist with local broadcaster eNCA who has been following the trial closely. “I am sure she’ll be able to rest well now”.

“The family’s all together at Arnold’s [Pistorius’ uncle] house and waiting for the legal team that needs to look at the judgement”, Burgess added.

For June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, it all became too much on Tuesday: she after the ruling was announced, she sobbed outside the court.

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.

“A young man overcomes huge physical disabilities to reach Olympian heights as an athlete”, he said. “Romance blossoms and then ironically, on Valentine’s Day, all is destroyed when he takes her life”, he said.

Oscar Pistorius may have lost this appeal, but this story is far from over as a sentencing hearing and a likely Constitutional Court appearance awaits.

The Supreme Court of Appeal concluded that the lower court did not correctly apply the rule of whether the gold medal-winning athlete knew that a death would be a likely result of his actions. Pistorius is twenty-nine years of age; he could be forty-four when his sentence ends.

Under South African law, a murder conviction hinges on the offender’s intention to kill, according to South African criminal law expert Mannie Witz.