Oscar Pistorius Sentenced To Prison

((ht: cbsnews.com))

So it appears that former double amputee and Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius will spend time in jail for the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius was sentenced to 5-years for the shooting incident which was termed by the judge as "gross negligence".

However...

Pistorius's lawyer says that the former Olympian is expected to serve 10 months in jail and the rest of his term will be spent under "House Arrest". There are appeal options for both sides in this case but neither have said whether they'll pursue that option.

You'll recall back in September, Pistorius was convicted of "culpable homicide" after a lengthy and emotional trial in South Africa.

Coverage of the sentencing from CBSNews.com:

Pistorius Guilty of Something: Culpable Homicide

((ht: cbssports.com))

Just one day after declaring that former Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was not guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, a South African judge has found him guilty of culpable homicide.

For those unclear what that means, it's similar to Negligent Homicide in the U.S.

Judge Thokozile Masipa told the courtroom she was not convinced that prosecutors did enough to prove Pistorius shot Steenkamp in the middle of the night at his home on purpose.

Rather, the charges say that Pistorius is guilty of being responsible for her death.

Pistorius is out of jail on bail while awaiting sentencing for the shooting. According to reports, that sentence could be anywhere from fine and probation to 15-years in jail. Sentencing is scheduled for mid-October.

Here's the latest from SABC

DEVELOPING: Pistorius Not Guilty Of Premeditated Murder

And it looks like, on Friday, when the court returns from recess that Judge Thokozile Masipa will come back with a "culpable homicide" verdict- the US equivalent of manslaughter or a "negligent homicide."

Masipa said there were "just not enough facts" to support the finding of premeditated murder in the shooting of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. She also disputed the testimony of prosecution witnesses who couldn't differentiate screaming between Pistorius and Steenkamp.

Pistorius faced 25 years to life in prison if he had been convicted of the premeditated murder on Valentine's Day, 2013. He also faces time in prison if the "culpable homicide" verdict comes down. Pistorius could also be acquitted if Masipa believes he made a "tragic error."

Here's Masipa reading the tail end of her decision
((HT: SABC Digital News))

Oscar Pistorius Week 7: Day 5- Ballistics Debates

((HT: SABC Digital News))

The defense is now bringing their own ballistics experts on the stand to refute the positioning of Reeva Steenkamp as she was trying to defend herself (or not) in the bathroom at the time of Oscar Pistorius opening fire into his bathroom.

The prosecution maintains that Steenkamp was trying to defend herself behind the door when Pistorius started shooting at, what he thought, was an intruder. They are saying she sitting on a magazine rack in the bathroom. The defense is maintaining that Steenkamp was falling backwards into the toilet.

The defense position is trying to reinforce that they weren't arguing that night.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel challenged the position saying the idea didn't make sense...

Here's session one...

Oscar Pistorius Week 7, Day 2: Did He Make An Uncalled For Remark In Recess...???

((HT: SABC Digital News))

That's the question for Oscar Pistorius today.

Attorney Ian Levitt (for Steenkamp friend Kim Myers) claims that Pistorius asked his client "How do you sleep at night?" in the recess of today's proceedings. Pistorius denied making the remark in open court to reporters.

"It's important to confirm this. It was in front of witnesses. Journalists have witnessed this," Levitt said. Levitt also made the point to tell state prosecutors that Pistorius allegedly said what he said.

Here's session one where another neighbor is on the stand, Michael Nhlengethwa, to talk about the evening of the death of Reeva Steenkamp...


The defense was trying to show with their two neighbors on the stand today that Pistorius' cries after he shot Steenkamp could be confused with a woman's screams. Lead prosecutor Gerrie Nel briefly crossed the two neighbors to clarify that what they heard could have been anything and not just one thing or another...

Oscar Pistorius Trial Week 7: More Defense From The Defense

((HT: SABC Digital News))

It was more opportunities for the defense in the Oscar Pistorius trial to continue to reinforce the idea that the sprinter shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, by accident on Valentine's Day 2013.

The prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, hammered away at the defendant and went after inconsistencies in his time line and testimony. But the defense interviewed someone who lived in the gated community who received a phone call from Pistorius immediately after the shooting who seconded his state of mind at the time of the shooting.

Johan Stander was on the stand this morning...


Monday's proceedings ended early because lead defense attorney Barry Roux said he had expected Stander and his daughter to take up the full day. They didn't and no other defense witnesses were at the courthouse to go under examination.

Pistorius faces 25 years for Steenkamp's murder...

Oscar Pistorius Trial Day 22: The Cross Ends

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel rested his cross-examination of Oscar Pistorius after five days- maintaining that the sprinter lied, and is still lying, about his version of events from Valentine's Night, 2013. The prosecution is saying Pistorius lied about his shooting of Reeva Steenkamp was accidental- thinking she was a burglar holed up in the bathroom.

Pistorius shot through the door four times, hitting Steenkamp three and killing her. Nel delivered the prosecution's case and thinks his acts were intentional.

Here's Session One...


The defense called for redirect where lead attorney Barry Roux led Pistorius through his version of events. They then called a forensics expert who went through a noise analysis similar to that of the rounds Pistorius shot through the bathroom door.

Oscar Pistorius Trial Day 21: 6th Day Of Cross

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Oscar Pistorius endured his sixth day of cross examination by Gerrie Nel and the state Monday...

Nel accused Pistorius of tailoring his testimony to fit the evidence at the scene and went through all the alleged inconsistencies the sprinter detailed during his defense testimony.

Pistorius twice broke down under cross- once when he was asked to repeat the how he told the alleged intruder to leave the bathroom before he fired four times through the bathroom door. The other was when Nel declared that Pistorius knew he was firing at girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Valentine's Day 2013.

Here's session one of testimony


Pistorius' crying caused another call of a break by judge Thokozile Masipa. Remember, that since there is no jury system in South African courts, the judge is the sole renderer of a verdict. Pistorius faces 25 years in prison on the premeditated murder (first-degree) charge.

Oscar Pistorius Trial Day 21: The Cross Continues

((HT: SABC Digital News))

The cross examination continues by prosecutor Gerrie Nel on Oscar Pistorius Friday.

Nel went as far as accusing Pistorius of talking through the bathroom door with girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp before discharging a weapon four times and killing her. Pistorius denied the accounts of Nel in open court maintaining that he thought the person behind the bathroom door was an intruder that came in through the window.

Nel took Pistorius' account apart piece by piece trying to attack the logic of his claims of the play-by-play of Valentines' Night of 2013.

Here's session one from Friday

Oscar Pistorius Trial Say 20: The Cross Continues

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Prosecutor Gerry Nel continued his grilling of Oscar Pistorius in the sprinter's murder trial...

Nel accused Pistorius of being a fraud on more than one level and a person who was more concerned with putting the blame of his past on others and deflecting the incidents of his past- saying that others lied on the stand, evidence was tampered with, or that the defendant's timeline didn't add up to what the prosecution believed it to be...

Here's Part One of Day Two of the cross...


The judge in the case, Thokozile Masipa, will be the one delivering the verdict in the case since there is no jury system or alternative in South African law and trial cases...

Oscar Pistorius Trial Day 19: Time For The Cross

((HT: SABC Digital News))

The prosecution got their chance to chase Oscar Pistorius this morning in his murder trial in South Africa...

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel wanted Pistorius to look at the photographs taken at the crime scene and wanted the sprinter to admit that he shot her instead of saying it was a mistake.

Pistorius, again, broke down. And the judge, again, asked for a recess...


Nel again would hammer at Pistorius' character and wanted him to say in open court that he "killed" her.
It's the very beginning of a very contentious question-and-answer for Pistorius, Nel, and Barry Roux- his attorney...

Oscar Pistorius Trial Day 18: Stopped Early By Judge

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Oscar Pistorius continued his testimony in his defense of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, this morning local time. But, the judge stopped the trial at points as Pistorius' crying took such a toll that a recess was called.

He is charged with premeditated murder in Steenkamp’s death and faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years before parole in prison if convicted. The prosecution's stance is that every word Pistorius is telling about his story is a fabrication- that he thought Steenkamp was an intruder and he shot her through the bathroom door four times as an accident.

Pistorius maintained that the sound of the bathroom window opening gave him the thoughts that someone was breaking into his house. He also said that Steenkamp was still in bed with him as he went to the door to fire his gun.

Here's the first part of his testimony

Oscar Pistorius Trial Day 17: He Takes The Stand

((HT: SABC Digital News))

As was the plan by the defense, Oscar Pistorius took the stand and apologized to the Steenkamp family for everything they have gone through since her death.

He showed up in Session two today...


Pistorius has maintained that he mistook his girlfriend as an intruder when he fired into the bathroom in his home Valentine's Day of 2013. Attorney Barry Roux walked the courtroom through his life in an attempt to counter the angry individual portrayed by the prosecution during their section of the proceedings. The defense also portrayed a fearful Pistorius was the reason he carried guns as a part of his daily life.

Court was adjourned while Pistorius was on the stand since the judge admitted Pistorius looked exhausted.

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Day 17- Pistorius May Take Stand

((HT: SABC Digital News))

The prosecution in Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial rested their case and the defense asked for time to ask questions of the more than 100 state witnesses who did not take the stand.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel wrapped and the defense will start their part of the case Friday. Defense lawyer Brian Webber says that it’s "likely" Pistorius will take the stand, but he did not say when the athlete would testify.

Here's the first segment of Tuesday's trial

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Day 16- Reeva Scared Of Oscar

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Text messages were revealed in open court today that displayed a fear Reeva Steenkamp had of her boyfriend, Oscar Pistorius. Police pulled more than 1,000 texts from her phone that, prosecutors think, give a history of his anger and feelings toward her when the two were not together.

A neighbor was also called to the stand to discuss the night of the Steenkamp death where "terrifying screams" were heard by Anette Stipp early in the morning of the model's death. Stipp's husband previously testified about the same things.

Here's the beginning of the day


The prosecution says they are wrapping up their case this week.
Judicial officials say the trial will continue until May 16, with a recess in April...

Oscar Pistorius Trial Day 12- Was Evidence Moved...???

((HT: Sky News))

That's the contention of the defense if you look at the photos of the crime scene...

Oscar Pistorius' lead attorney, Barry Roux, has been trying to deconstruct testimony line-by-line with every prosecution witness that comes up onto the witness stand. Roux tried grilling the police photographer today...

The police ballistics expert was also on the stand trying to explain point-by-point how he reconstructed the scene of the gunshots and positions he thought successfully demonstrated the death of Reeva Steenkamp.

Here's today's testimony...

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Day 11- The Fascination With Guns

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Day 11 of the Oscar Pistorius trail featured a gun expert who testified that Pistorius wanted to purchase seven more guns in addition to the 9mm pistol he already owned. Sean Rens also said Pistorius wanted them for self-defense — and asked Rens to get them for him.

The guns included a semi-automatic assault rifle, three shotguns, another self-loading rifle and two Smith & Wesson handguns to go with several hundred rounds of ammunition.

The cost of the weapons was in the neighborhood of R$5,000- R$4,500 of which Pistorius had already paid before the murder of Reeva Steenkamp. The remaining two weapons purchase was cancelled at that point...

Here's segment one of week three...


Rens was also asked about Pistorius' referring to "combat mode" where he would snap out of bed once he heard a noise. A Twitter submission about his own washing machine going off in the middle of the night that cause him to go into "combat mode" was also talked about in open court...

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Day 9- Pictures From The Scene

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Prosecutors continue their case against sprinter Oscar Pistorius...

Day 9 had them presenting "after" photos of the crime scene which, again, caused Pistorius to become physically ill as he sat at his defense table. The pictures were displayed on monitors, but as Pistorius continued to see the photos and react the way he was, his monitor was eventually turned off...

Here's the first part of the session...

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Day 8- Reconstructing The Scene

((HT: SABC Digital News))

The prosecution had their moments with a police officer constructing what they believe to be the events in the bedroom the night of the Reeva Steenkamp murder. Police Colonel J.G. Vermeulen swung a cricket bat at a makeshift construction of the Pistorius bathroom to recreate the event as they saw it unfold.

He, naturally, faced tough questioning from the defense lawyer...

Here's that segment...
)

Testimony also continued from a friend of Pistorius', Darren Fresco, about the incident previously talked about where the Olympian shot a hole in a sunroof in a vehicle...

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Day 7

((HT: SABC Digital News))

Day two in week two centered around the conclusion of the pathologist's testimony and reinforcing the testimony of Pistorius' ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor and the incident previously referred to where Pistorius allegedly fired a gun through a sunroof in a car...

Here's Darren Fresco's testimony...
)