Oscar Pistorius conviction changed to murder

kwame

December 3, 2015 9:13 AM

Oscar Pistorius faces a minimum of 15 years in prison after his conviction was changed from murder

Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of the murder of Reeva Steenkamp and will face a minimum of 15 years in prison.

The original conviction of manslaughter for the Pistorius case was changed to murder.

Mr. Pistorius spent a less than a year in prison for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013 before being placed under house arrest at his uncle’s house.

An appeal was made by state prosecutors concerning the original conviction of the trial. The state prosecutors appealed to the Supreme Court in Bloemfontein against the ruling of culpable homicide which is an equivalent of manslaughter.

The argument was that, Oscar Pistorius knew the act of firing his gun through the door of his bathroom would lead to death and that the original trial judge misinterpreted the law of ‘dolus eventualis’ [meaning the accused carried out his act knowing it would lead to death but went through with it anyway].

Judge Eric Leach ruled on Thursday that the state prosecutors’ appeal concerning the ‘flawed’ original ruling was upheld and that Oscar Pistorius was guilty of murder.

Judge Eric Leach told the court:

“Guilty of murder, with the accused having criminal intent. The matter is referred back to the trial court to consider an appropriate sentence.”

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