Trial Of Oscar Pistorius: South Africa’s Double Amputee Sprinter Who Got Convicted For Murder

Oscar Pistorius has remained a curious figure in the history of the Paralympics. He earned recognition as a professional sprinter despite undergoing a double amputation. The Paralympic champion was just 11 months old when a birth defect led to the removal of both his fibulas and the outer parts of his feet.

Nonetheless, Pistorius continued to compete and win accolades in several events, including the Olympic Games. He faced several controversies regarding the use of artificial limbs, which some argued gave him an added advantage in the sport. However, it was the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, that ultimately upended his career.

​In the early morning of February 14, 2013, Pistorius fatally shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home in Pretoria. The Olympian admitted that he had shot her four times, killing her. However, Pistorius said he had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder, prompting him to shoot.

The couple had been dating for almost three months before the incident. Steenkamp was a model. In his defense, Pistorius claimed he thought his girlfriend was in bed and that the person inside the bathroom was an intruder.

​After killing his girlfriend, Pistorius was arrested immediately and formally charged with murder at a Pretoria court a day later. This entire murder trial ended up getting broadcast on live television and audio for the public to witness.

​Between Sept. 11 and 12, 2014, the murder trial of Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius took place. After hearing both the prosecution and defense, Judge Thokozile Masipa delivered a controversial verdict. She declared the athlete not guilty of murder but of culpable homicide. She further found Pistorius guilty of a firearm-related offense at a restaurant.

On Oct. 21 of that year, the Paralympian was sentenced. He was sentenced to up to five years in prison for culpable homicide. Pistorius additionally received a concurrent three-year suspended sentence for the firearm-related charge.

During Pistorius’ bail hearing in February 2013, the prosecution raised questions about the Olympian’s alleged motive in the killing. They claimed he wore his prosthetic legs, walked across the bedroom and then fired four shots at a closed bathroom door where she was.

While three of the shots struck Steenkamp, one missed. Based on the time it would have taken him to carry out these actions, prosecutors argued that the shooting was premeditated and not accidental.

​After completing one-sixth of his sentence, Oscar Pistorius was released on parole a year later. Meanwhile, the state had appealed his conviction of culpable homicide. It was later overturned on appeal, and he was found guilty of murder. The judge then sentenced him to six years in prison.

Prosecutors appealed again, seeking a longer sentence. Finally, the Supreme Court of Appeal imposed a total of 15 years’ imprisonment. Considering the time he had already served, the sentence was reduced to 13 years and five months.