Former track star and convicted killer Oscar Pistorius walked on his amputated legs in a South African court Wednesday in a dramatic scene the former track star – nicknamed “Blade Runner” for his speed and prostheses – hoped would lighten his prison sentence.
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Mr Nel argued that South Africa’s high murder rate and seeming leniency of the courts could no longer go unchallenged.
Called to testify by the lead state prosecutor in Pistorius’s sentencing hearing, a tearful and trembling Barry Steenkamp said forgiving the runner was very hard.
He said: “I want the world to see”.
Barry Steenkamp’s father broke down in the witness box as he told the court how he and his wife have struggled to cope since his daughter’s murder.
The state prosecution remained unmoved, however arguing that the real victim in the case was Reeva Steenkamp, Pistorius’ lovely model girlfriend who he killed on Valentine’s Day night in 2013. Prosecutors have said Pistorius intentionally killed Steenkamp after an argument.
“The accused was vulnerable because of his disability”, Mr Roux said, asking for a non-custodial sentence that included community service.
Mr Pistorius is facing a sentence of 15 years behind bars for the Valentine’s day murder of Ms Steenkamp.
“It’s the duty of this court”, he said, referring to the minimum sentence.
An appeals court found Pistorius guilty of murder, and not culpable homicide, for the shooting de.
The Supreme Court of Appeal found he was guilty of murdering Steenkamp and ordered a fresh sentence. He was released on bail past year, and has been living under house arrest while he awaits sentencing.
“The accused has paid from the minute he shot, and will pay for the rest of his life”, Roux said. “He’s a broken man filled with self-loathing”. He is judged and vilified. He is paying constantly.
Judge Masipa on Wednesday lifted a ban on the publication of graphic photographs of the gunshot wounds Pistorius inflicted on Ms Steenkamp – which included a severe head injury -when he shot her multiple times through a toilet cubicle door in his home.
Since the shooting, Pistorius lost sponsorship deals with companies including Nike Inc., Luxottica Group SpA’s Oakley and Ossur hf.
The year before he killed Steenkamp, Pistorius became the first double-amputee to race at Olympic level when he appeared at the London 2012 games.
Earlier, a pastor and a woman whose son was born without legs testified for Pistorius’ defence.
Martin also said she did not think Reeva loved Pistorius because she never mentioned it her despite the cousins being close to each other.
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“We just wanted the truth”. In one episode, nurse Charlotte Mashabane said, Pistorius got angry because officials came to his cell for a routine check while he was sleeping.
