Pistorius Sentenced- Olympics double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius faced his 5-year prison verdict for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp on Tuesday. South African High Court's Thokozile Masipa enforced Culpable Homicide, a verdict given to South Africans for murdering someone unintentionally, but unlawfully.
Based on South African law, Pistorius has to serve at least 10 months or one-sixth of his sentence before he can request for correctional supervision or house arrest. The star athlete was also issued three-year term for firearm charges, but was postponed for five years given that he will not be found liable of any other crime involving firearms during the said years.
Pistorius Sentenced Trial is one of the most controversial and the most discordant in the history of South Africa. Caught in the middle of payback and mercy, the judge referred to it as a delicate balance. On Tuesday she said, "A non-custodial sentence would send the wrong impression to the community, but a long sentence would not be appropriate because it would appear to lack mercy."
The first double amputee athlete will be brought to the cell before he will be transferred to the notorious Pretoria Central Prison. During the court hearing, Pistorius often weep as he hears the name of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He firmly said that he mistook her as an impostor when he fired through a toilet door on Feb. 14, 2013.
Both families of Pistorius and Steenkamp seemed to accept Pistorius Sentenced. As the prosecution announced that an appeal could be possible, many people in the courtroom reacted violently claiming that it is an obvious lenient punishment for a lethal crime. It also created abuzz in Twitter, radio talk shows and media worldwide.
Pistorius Sentenced ended as he calmly accepts his verdict and walked out in the courtroom with handcuffs. The critically-acclaimed athlete at the 2012 Olympics turned to a convicted criminal, a tragic end for the first ever double amputee sprinter.
