Oscar Pistorious

It has been Eighteen months after Oscar Pistorious shot dead his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp. The paralympian and former South African awaits this week to learn if he is regarded guily or innocent. 


On Valentines Day, February 14, 2013, Pistorious shot her four times through the bathroom door; Reeva Steenkamp, 29, had died instantly. The day after the shooting, Pistorious was charged with murder.  Channel 7 News Reporter, Laurel Irving informs,  "At his bail hearing shortly afterwards, the track star tendered a statement explaining what he claimed happened that night – that he mistook Reeva for an intruder and believed he was under threat. But police argued it was pre-meditated murder, and he shot Reeva in the middle of an argument."(Seven News, 2014) 

In March of this year, Oscar Pistorius went on trial before Judge Thokozile Masipa after South Africa abolished jury trials during the apartheid era in 1969. (The Telegraph, 2014) The trial continued until August, due a long period of cross examinations of witnesses. In this month, the Prosecution says he is guilty of murder. However the defence "says the runner acted in haste when he heard a noise inside the toilet, firing his weapon before he’d realised what happened" (News.com.au, 2014)

Judge Masipa will begin her verdict on Thursday and is likely to take two days to outline the evidence presented during the trial before she reaches her conclusion. If found guilty of pre-meditated murder, Pistorius could face a life-sentence, which in practice is 25 years in South Africa. However, any sentence could still be weeks away.

Oscar Prestorious' life will never be the same, regardless he is guilty or not. This is a very delicate situation, as it is not just involving the Australian court. I feel that Australian Journalist's should be careful in which how they present the news when the sentence is finally cleared as South Africa's cultural pride must be taken into value. 

References 

https://au.news.yahoo.com/vic/a/24906680/oscar-pistorius-a-spectacular-fall-from-grace/

http://www.news.com.au/world/oscar-pistorius-verdict-guilty-or-innocent/story-fndir2ev-1227055553622

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/oscar-pistorius/11087281/Oscar-Pistorius-verdict-live.html