Judge approves Oscar Pistorius murder charge appeal
A South African judge ruled that prosecutors can appeal Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius' acquittal on murder charges for killing his girlfriend, reports the Associated Press.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said that she is satisfied that chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel had raised "questions of law" that should be reviewed by the Supreme Court of Appeal.
Last month, prosecutors filed appeal papers against the verdict and prison sentence given to Pistorius after he was found guilty of culpable homicide but not guilty of murder in the Feb. 14, 2013 shooting death of Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius received a five-year prison sentence and the 27-year-old double amputee can be considered for parole after a minimum of 10 months of his sentence.
Masipa said that Pistorius acted negligently when he shot Steenkamp four times, but did not intend to kill her. Pistorius 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
