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On Friday, a South African court denied parole for runner Oscar Pistorius, who has served nearly seven years for fatally shooting his girlfriend in 2013.
The Department of Correctional Services said in a statement issued to the Pretoria East Rekord that Pistorius’ application for release was denied because he had not served the minimum sentence. As a result, a board will reconsider the 36-year-old’s parole in August 2024.
A double amputee nicknamed the “Blade Runner,” Pistorius claimed he shot Reeva Steenkamp, 29, at his Pretoria home as he mistook her for an intruder. Pistorius shot through a bathroom door four times, killing her.
In 2014, Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide and reckless endangerment and sentenced to five years. In October 2015, he was released for good behavior and placed on house arrest.
A month after his release, his culpable homicide conviction was overturned and he was convicted of murder. He returned to custody in July 2016 to serve a six-year sentence — but that sentence was increased to 15 years after the National Prosecuting Authority deemed the punishment “shockingly lenient,” according to the Pretoria East Rekord.
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Regarding the board’s recent decision, Steenkamp’s parents told The Guardian, “While we welcome today’s decision, today is not a cause for celebration. We miss Reeva terribly and will do so for the rest of our lives. We believe in justice and hope that it continues to prevail.”
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[Featured image: Oscar Pistorius/Alon Skuy/Pool Photo via AP, File]
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