Key takeaways:
- Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympian, was denied parole after a hearing at a prison in Pretoria.
- The parole board determined that Pistorius had not served the “minimum detention period” required to be released and will have to stay in prison at least another year and four months.
- The decision of the parole board to deny his parole is a reminder of the gravity of the crime he committed and the need for justice to be served.
South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was denied parole Friday, following a hearing at a prison in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital. Pistorius, 36, was convicted of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013 and has been held in prison since then.
The double-amputee sprinter, known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon fiber prosthetic legs, fired at Steenkamp four times through a locked bathroom door at his home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013. The trial was beamed around the world and details of Steenkamp’s death shocked audiences, while the case instantly ended the career of a pioneering sportsman who made history by competing against able-bodied athletes at the Olympics.
The parole board hearing Pistorius’ application ruled he would be able to apply again in August 2024, South Africa’s Department of Corrections said in a statement. The board cited a new clarification on Pistorius’ sentence that was issued by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal three days ago, according to the statement.
The parole board determined that Pistorius had not served the “minimum detention period” required to be released and will have to stay in prison at least another year and four months. This decision comes after Pistorius had served seven years of his 13-year sentence.
Pistorius’ case has been a source of controversy in South Africa and around the world. The decision of the parole board to deny his parole is a reminder of the gravity of the crime he committed and the need for justice to be served.
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