Report: Oscar Pistorius to be released from prison, placed on house arrest
Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius will be released from prison and put on house arrest in August after serving only one-sixth of his five-year sentence for the killing of his girlfriend, reports the BBC.
Prison officials made the recommendation on the basis of Pistorius' good behavior in jail. Pistorius was eligible for release under South African law after serving a portion of his sentence.
Pistorius, 28, has been jailed since October, when he was found guilty of culpable homicide but not guilty of murder in the Feb. 14, 2013, shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The appeal for Pistorius’ culpable homicide conviction is set for November by the South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeals, according to multiple media outlets.
In November, prosecutors filed appeal papers against the verdict and prison sentence given to Pistorius after his guilty verdict of culpable homicide. They wanted Pistorius found guilty of murder.
That same month, the lawyers for Pistorius failed in their attempt to stop South African prosecutors from appealing that conviction and sought a murder verdict against him for shooting Steenkamp.
Prosecutors are required to submit court papers outlining their argument by Aug. 17 and Pistorius' defense team must submit their response by Sept. 17.
A judge is expected to determine an exact appeal date in August.
Masipa said that Pistorius acted negligently when he shot Steenkamp four times but did not intend to kill her. Pistorius has said the shooting was an accident because he mistook her for an intruder.
Pistorius could face 15 years in prison if he is convicted of murder on appeal.
- Scooby Axson
