Prosecutors granted right to appeal against Pistorius’ culpable homicide verdict – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

Prosecutors granted right to appeal against Pistorius’ culpable homicide verdict




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Judge Thokozile Masipa has ruled that prosecutors can appeal against the ‘culpable homicide’ verdict, but not the five-year sentence handed down to Oscar Pistorius.

The ruling effectively means that prosecutors may now go to South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal, where a murder charge can be sought.

Prosecutors argued that Judge Masipa misinterpreted the law when she cleared Pistorius of the murder charge on the basis that he allegedly did not intentionally shoot his girlfriend.

Oscar Pistorius was sentenced last October, after being convicted of culpable homicide, a charge equivalent to manslaughter. The athlete could be released from prison and kept under house arrest after 10 months.

Pistorius shot his then girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead at his home on Valentine’s Day last year. He said he believed he was shooting an intruder, but prosecutors allege he willfully killed his girlfriend after an argument.

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