In Summary
- The former Olympic champion was condemned for killing, in 2013, his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
- At his murder trial, he claimed he shot the 29-year-old model, by mistake with his licensed pistol,
Oscar Pistorius could win his freedom after prosecutors admitted they made a blunder when refusing earlier bids for parole.
South Africa’s department of corrections said in a statement that a parole board will consider Pistorius’ case again this week and decide “whether the inmate is suitable or not for social integration.”
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Why Oscar Pistorius Is Behind Bars
The former Olympic champion was condemned for killing, in 2013, his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
At his murder trial, he claimed he shot the 29-year-old model, by mistake with his licensed pistol, because he believed she was an intruder hiding in the bathroom.
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Reeva Steenkamp was shot and killed in the home of star Olympian and Paralympian Oscar Pistorius on February 14, 2013.
Rikki Hibbert Photography/Courtesy of Stimulii
What to Expect On The Parole Hearing
Pistorius is not guaranteed to be granted early release. A parole board takes several factors into account, including his conduct and disciplinary record in prison, his mental health and the likelihood of him committing another crime.
After Friday’s parole hearing, it could be decided that the former athlete shall remain in prison, be released on full parole or placed on day parole.
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2012 London Olympics
Pistorius, a world-famous double-amputee athlete who broke barriers by competing on carbon-fiber running blades at the 2012 London Olympics, has been in prison since late 2014 for the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
He was initially convicted of culpable homicide, an offense comparable to manslaughter, for shooting Steenkamp multiple times with his licensed 9 mm pistol through a closed toilet cubicle door in his home in the South African capital, Pretoria, in the predawn hours of Valentine’s Day 2013.
