Oscar Pistorius Verdict: Steenkamp Family Protest

Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius

The par­ents of Reeva Steenkamp say “jus­tice was not served” after South African ath­lete Oscar Pistorius was acquit­ted of mur­der­ing their daughter.

June and Barry Steenkamp told NBC News of their “dis­be­lief” that the court had believed Pistorius’s ver­sion of events.

Judge Thokozile Masipa found him guilty of the less­er charge of cul­pa­ble homi­cide, say­ing the state had failed to prove he intend­ed to kill.

Pistorius has been allowed bail ahead of sen­tenc­ing on 13 October.

Judge Masipa said the ath­lete had act­ed “neg­li­gent­ly” when he shot his girl­friend through a toi­let door, but in the “belief that there was an intruder”.

The Paralympic sprint­er had stren­u­ous­ly denied mur­der­ing Ms Steenkamp after a row on Valentine’s Day last year, say­ing he shot her by mis­take. Read it here: http://​www​.bbc​.com/​n​e​w​s​/​w​o​r​l​d​-​a​f​r​i​c​a​-​2​9​1​8​4​590