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Pistorius Guilty of Culpable Homicide, To Be Sentenced October 13

South African amputee sprinter, Oscar Pistorious, has been found guilty of culpable homicide and contravening the Firearms Control Act (discharging a weapon in a public … Continue reading Pistorius Guilty of Culpable Homicide, To Be Sentenced October 13


PistoriusSouth African amputee sprinter, Oscar Pistorious, has been found guilty of culpable homicide and contravening the Firearms Control Act (discharging a weapon in a public space).

Judge Thokozile Masipa acquitted Oscar Pistorius of two of three weapons charges but found him guilty of the third.

Pistorius did not intend to kill Steenkamp, Masipa said, accepting his defense that he thought someone had broken into his house and that he believed he was defending himself.

Having recapped that Pistorius is not guilty of murder or premeditated murder, she said that Pistorius acted negligently when he fired shots through the door, knowing there was someone behind it.

Judge Masipa also said that she had considered the submissions by counsel is not persuaded that bail should not be extended. Oscar Pistorius is therefore to remain out on bail until the sentencing hearing which has been set for October 13.

The Olympic sprinter is accused of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius has not denied that he shot her, but claims it was an accident.

Culpable homicide is the South African term for unintentionally — but illegally — killing a person.

There’s no mandatory minimum for negligent or culpable homicide. The maximum sentence is 15 years.

Pistorius has no prior convictions and it is expected that this would be taken into account during the sentencing phase.