Oscar Pistorius Released on Conditional Parole
Olympian Oscar Pistorius has been granted conditional release from prison, South Africa's Department of Correctional Services announced Thursday. Pistorius has been incarcerated for the 2013 killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Jordan Taylor
- 2024-01-05
- Updated 01:11 PM ET
(NewsNibs) - The Department of Correctional Services confirmed that Pistorius was released effective January 5, 2024, after serving nearly a decade behind bars. The decision followed a November 24 parole board hearing at Atteridgeville prison, which ruled in favor of his release after previous denial in March. During his parole, Pistorius is subject to general conditions that restrict his movement, substance use, and prohibit media engagement. He will also be required to participate in anger management courses and programs geared toward addressing gender-based violence.
Supreme Court Rulings
Pistorius's journey through the South African legal system has been tumultuous. Initially sentenced to five years for manslaughter in October 2014, the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned that conviction in favor of a murder charge in 2015. A lower court imposed a six-year sentence for murder in 2016, which the Supreme Court of Appeal increased to fifteen years in 2017 after another prosecution appeal. With time served, the fifteen-year sentence was effectively reduced to thirteen years and five months.
Career and Personal Background
Pistorius, a double-amputee runner who made history by competing in the London 2012 Olympics on carbon fiber prosthetic legs, was born with a condition leading to the amputation of both legs below the knees at eleven months old. His case attracted widespread media attention due to his status as a prominent athlete and the shocking nature of the crime, having shot Steenkamp four times through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day 2013.
Pistorius's conditional parole is set to last until the end of his re-evaluated sentence in 2029. South Africa's legal system will continue to monitor Pistorius's adherence to the strict conditions set by the parole board. Further engagement in structured community programs marks an integral part of his reintegration into society following his high-profile case and the international attention it garnered.
