Oscar Pistorius released on parole 11 years after murdering Reeva Steenkamp
Oscar Pistorius was released on parole Friday, almost 11 years after the former South African Paralympic star killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Steenkamp's mother, June, released a statement on Friday saying she hoped to live "in peace" now that Pistorius is free.
“There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back,” June Steenkamp said. “We, who remain behind, are the ones serving a life sentence.”
On Feb. 14, 2013, Pistorius shot the 29-year-old Steenkamp four times through a bathroom door. After being accused of murdering her in anger, Pistorius claimed he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder. A year later he was convicted of manslaughter, which was ultimately upgraded to murder.
In 2017, Pistorius' sentence was increased from five years to 13 years and five months by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal. He was allowed house arrest in 2015 during a brief hearing for one of the many appeals in his case. He was imprisoned again afterward.
A parole board decided in November that Pistorius, now 37, would be allowed to be freed after completing more than half of his sentence, which made him eligible under South African law.
June Steenkamp said in a victim impact statement in November that while she had forgiven Pistorius, she still did not believe him.
“At this time, I am not convinced that Oscar has been rehabilitated,” she said.
“Rehabilitation requires someone to engage honestly with the full truth of his crime and the consequences thereof. Nobody can claim to have remorse if they are not able to engage fully with the truth.
“If someone does not show remorse, they cannot be considered to be rehabilitated. If they are not rehabilitated, their risk of recidivism is high.
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“I do not know to what extent this behavior still exists or was evident during his time of incarceration, but I am concerned for the safety of any woman should this not have been addressed in his rehabilitation.”
Pistorius will be monitored by an official until his sentence expires in Dec. 2029 and will have to contact the official if he moves to a new address. He will also be prohibited from consuming alcohol and conducting media interviews and will be required to continue going to therapy for anger management and attend classes on gender-based violence as part of his parole.
Nicknamed "Blade Runner," Pistorius gained stardom in the 2010s. The Paralympic star became the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics when he ran the 400-meter dash at the 2012 London Games. His murder trial was followed globally, unfolding at the height of his professional success. Steenkamp was working as a model after completing law school and had been dating the athlete for three months.
