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Oscar ‘Won't Spend A Day In Prison'
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| Oscar Pistorius Credit: Themba Hadebe / AP Source: www.people.com |
By Jane Flanagan and Andrew Malone, Sept. 14, 2014, Iol.co.za
Pretoria - Oscar Pistorius walked out of court on Friday, with legal experts predicting he wouldn’t spend a day behind bars.
The sprinter was found guilty of culpable homicide in the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, but legal academics say a jail sentence is unlikely, and a Paralympic official confirmed that he would be allowed to resume his lucrative career.
Pistorius, 27, left the Pretoria High Court as a convicted killer – although crucially, not a murderer – and must wait until October 13 for sentencing. Culpable homicide carries a maximum sentence of 15 years, but no minimum.
Judge Thokozile Masipa is a keen advocate of leniency towards first-time offenders.
Criminal law expert Martin Hood said: “He is almost certainly, in my opinion, not going to jail.” Legal academic Stephen Tuson added: “It could even be the imposition of a fine or community service, or house arrest.”
As Pistorius stood to hear the judge clear him of murdering Steenkamp, 29, in February last year but find him guilty of manslaughter, he betrayed none of the emotion he had shown to the court during his six-month trial.
Loud sobs could be heard, however, only feet away as the dead model’s friend Gina Myers shook her head and wept.
The sprinter was found guilty of culpable homicide in the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, but legal academics say a jail sentence is unlikely, and a Paralympic official confirmed that he would be allowed to resume his lucrative career.
Pistorius, 27, left the Pretoria High Court as a convicted killer – although crucially, not a murderer – and must wait until October 13 for sentencing. Culpable homicide carries a maximum sentence of 15 years, but no minimum.
Judge Thokozile Masipa is a keen advocate of leniency towards first-time offenders.
Criminal law expert Martin Hood said: “He is almost certainly, in my opinion, not going to jail.” Legal academic Stephen Tuson added: “It could even be the imposition of a fine or community service, or house arrest.”
As Pistorius stood to hear the judge clear him of murdering Steenkamp, 29, in February last year but find him guilty of manslaughter, he betrayed none of the emotion he had shown to the court during his six-month trial.
Loud sobs could be heard, however, only feet away as the dead model’s friend Gina Myers shook her head and wept.
Read the full story: www.iol.co.za
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