Former Paralympic gold medalist and Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius is currently being considered for parole after spending nearly 10 years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The South African parole board met on Friday to determine whether Pistorius would be released. Pistorius, known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, shot and killed Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013, claiming that he mistook her for an intruder. However, prosecutors argued that he deliberately shot her through a locked bathroom door. Pistorius was initially convicted of culpable homicide, but this conviction was later overturned, and he was convicted of murder.
Pistorius, now 37, was sent to prison in late 2014 and was given a second chance at parole after an error made by an appeals court regarding the official start of his sentence. In 2017, he was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison for murder. According to South African parole laws, serious offenders are required to serve at least half of their sentence to be eligible for parole, which Pistorius has done. The parole board will consider various factors, including his conduct in prison, his mental health, and the risk he poses to the community.
The Department of Corrections has stated that if Pistorius is granted parole, he may not be released immediately. There are different types of parole available, including full parole and day parole, where an offender can live and work in the community but must return to prison at night. Pistorius is expected to live at his uncle's mansion in a wealthy Pretoria suburb if he is released. He initially served his sentence at Pretoria's central prison before being moved to Atteridgeville Correctional Centre in 2016.
Throughout his time in prison, there have been occasional glimpses into Pistorius' life behind bars. His father has said that he has been holding bible classes for fellow prisoners, but there have also been incidents, such as an altercation with another inmate over a prison telephone that left him requiring medical treatment. Pistorius' life took a dramatic turn following Steenkamp's killing, as he went from being an admired athlete to a convicted murderer. Before the incident, he had achieved global recognition for being the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics.
Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp, initially opposed Pistorius' parole but has since softened her stance. Her lawyer stated that she will not attend the parole hearing, but a representative will read out a victim impact statement on her behalf. The Steenkamp family has maintained that Pistorius intentionally killed their daughter in anger and believes he should remain in prison for the rest of his life. However, Pistorius' parole is expected to be granted, although the timing of his release remains uncertain. He may be subject to certain conditions, such as electronic monitoring and restrictions on profiting from media interviews about his incarceration.
