S. AFRICA-PISTORIUS/FAMILY STATEMENT Pistorius family: Oscar's sentence hasn't been shortened or reduced

Record ID: 134667

  • Title: S. AFRICA-PISTORIUS/FAMILY STATEMENT Pistorius family: Oscar's sentence hasn't been shortened or reduced
  • Date: 20th October 2015
  • Summary: PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (OCTOBER 20, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF PISTORIUS UNCLE'S HOUSE REPORTERS PREPARING FOR THE FAMILY STATEMENT (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) FAMILY SPOKESPERSON, ANNALIESE BURGEFF, SAYING "It is very important for the family to emphasize that Oscar's sentence hasn't been shortened or reduced. He is simply entering the next phase of his sentence now. He will s
  • Embargoed: 4th November 2015 12:00
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  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEKU1JG95P9DG8M25RJMYAWCNJ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: LIVE VIEW QUALITY. BROADCAST QUALITY TO FOLLOW IN 2123-SAFRICA-PISTORIUS/FAMILY STATEMENT UPDATE
    The family of Oscar Pistorius, South Africa's "Blade Runner", said that they wanted to emphasize that the Paralympic gold medallist sentence was not reduced or shortened.
    Pistorious was released on parole on Monday night, just short of a year into his five-year sentence for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
    "It is very important for the family to emphasize that Oscar's sentence hasn't been shortened or reduced. He is simply entering the next phase of his sentence now. He will serve this under the strict conditions that govern correctional supervision," said the family spokesperson, Annaliese Burgeff.
    She added that the family will continue to support Pistorious as he serves the remain of the five year sentence handed down by the trial judge and that he will ''strictly adhere to the conditions set by the parole board and community corrections."
    The Paralympic gold medallist must serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest, and still has to face an appeal by prosecutors who argue that he should have been convicted of murder rather than culpable homicide.
    Pistorius, 28, who was found guilty of the lesser charge when he fired four shots through a locked bathroom door and hit Steenkamp, will be confined to his uncle Arnold's home in a wealthy suburb of the capital Pretoria.
    The athlete, whose lower legs were amputated when he was a baby, will be freed in line with South African sentencing guidelines that say non-dangerous prisoners should spend only one-sixth of a custodial sentence behind bars.
    The department of correctional services said Pistorius' parole conditions include that the gun
    Steenkamp's family have said they are unhappy with Pistorius's sentence and questioned the verdict in public in August.
    Prosecutors argue the verdict should be one of murder because Pistorius must have known that the person behind the door could be killed. The appeal is due to be heard on Nov. 3.
    The state will argue that the trial judge misinterpreted parts of the law and ignored vital evidence. A murder conviction would result in a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
    A panel of five judges will hear the appeal. They could either reject the prosecution's appeal, order a retrial or convict Pistorius of murder themselves, legal experts say.
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