Oscar pistorius given six years reeva steenkamp murder
Oscar Pistorius, the former South African Olympic and Paralympic athlete, was sentenced to six years in prison for the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on October 21, 2014.
Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, which is a lesser charge than murder, in September 2014. The judge, Thokozile Masipa, ruled that Pistorius had acted negligently and recklessly when he shot Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, on February 14, 2013.
The prosecution had argued that Pistorius had intentionally killed Steenkamp, while the defense claimed that he had acted in a state of extreme emotional distress and had not intended to harm her.
The six-year sentence was seen as lenient by many, including Steenkamp's family and friends, who had been seeking a longer sentence. The sentence was also criticized by many in South Africa, who felt that it did not reflect the gravity of the crime.
Pistorius was released from prison on September 13, 2015, after serving just over a year of his sentence. He was placed under house arrest at his uncle's home in Pretoria, where he was required to wear an electronic tracking device and was subject to regular check-ins with his probation officer.
In July 2016, Pistorius was granted parole and was released from house arrest. He was required to serve the remainder of his sentence under correctional supervision, which means that he was allowed to live in the community but was subject to regular check-ins and was required to perform community service.
Pistorius's sentence was widely criticized as being too lenient, and it sparked a national debate in South Africa about the country's sentencing laws and the treatment of women who are victims of violence.