Oscar Pistorius Guilty on One Gun Charge, Culpable Homicide Verdict to Come
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Photo by Ihsaan Haffejee/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images(PRETORIA, South Africa) — Oscar Pistorius was found guilty on a firearms charge on Friday morning and could still be convicted of culpable homicide and other charges, as verdict proceedings resume in his murder trial.
He was acquitted Thursday of murder – with South African judge Thokozile Masipa ruling that the athlete did not intentionally kill girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a 2013 shooting.
Masipa called Pistorius a “very poor witness” during the murder trial and found he was at times vague and avoided answering some of the prosecution’s questions. Despite that, she says this does not necessarily indicate his guilt.
Culpable homicide is similar to manslaughter in the United States. Pistorius also faces two counts of discharging a gun in a public area, as well as illegal possession of ammunition.
If he is found guilty of murder without premeditation, or culpable homicide, he could receive a 15-year sentence as a first time offender. Mitigating factors, such as his emotional state, anxiety levels, and disability could result in a lesser sentence.
On Friday morning, Judge Masipa found Pistorius guilty on one count of discharging a gun in a public area, in connection with a Jan. 2013 incident at a restaurant. Pistorius was acquitted, however, on a second count of discharing a gun in a public area in relation to a separate incident.
Steenkamp was killed on Valentine’s Day 2013 when Pistorius fired four shots through a bathroom door in the middle of the night, saying her mistook his live-in girlfriend for an intruder. Pistorius testified that the shooting was a horrible accident.
The trial has spanned five months, prolonged by several interruptions including a month-long break so the paralympian sprinter could be examined by mental health experts. Pistorius — known as “Blade Runner” for his prosthetic legs — served as an international inspiration after performing in the London 2012 Olympics.
Masipa, along with two assistants, is tasked with determining whether Pistorius is guilty or innocent. South Africa does not use jury trials.
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