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oscar pistorius appeal

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South Africa’s Constitutional Court has dismissed Oscar Pistorius’ appeal against his conviction for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Following this ruling, Oscar Pistorius will be sentenced in April.

Oscar Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013 after firing four times through a locked toilet door.

A manslaughter verdict was overturned in December and a murder verdict introduced in its place.

Photo Getty Images

Photo Getty Images

South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the Constitutional Court found “no prospect of success” in Oscar Pistorius’ appeal.

The case will now go back to Judge Thokozile Masipa – who cleared the athlete of murder in the original case – for sentencing on April 18.

Prosecutors are believed to be targeting a sentence of at least 15 years in jail for Oscar Pistorius.

The double-amputee athlete is currently under house arrest after spending one year of his original five-year sentence in jail.

In December, South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that the lower court under Judge Thokozile Masipa had not applied correctly the rule of dolus eventualis – whether Oscar Pistorius knew that a death would be a likely result of his actions.

Justice Eric Leach said that having armed himself with a high-caliber weapon, Oscar Pistorius must have foreseen that whoever was behind the door might die, especially given his firearms training.

Oscar Pistorius has always maintained he believed he was shooting at an intruder.

 

Oscar Pistorius on January 11 made a last-ditch attempt with South Africa’s top court to overturn his murder conviction for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The double-amputee athlete killed Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013 after firing four times through a locked toilet door.

A manslaughter verdict was overturned last month and a murder verdict introduced in its place.

Oscar Pistorius’ defense has lodged papers at the Constitutional Court, urging a review of his murder conviction.

The champion is currently under house arrest after spending one year of his original five-year sentence in jail.Oscar Pistorius appeal in murder case

South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in December that the lower court had not applied correctly the rule of dolus eventualis – whether Oscar Pistorius knew that a death would be a likely result of his actions.

Last month, Justice Eric Leach said that having armed himself with a high-caliber weapon, Oscar Pistorius must have foreseen that whoever was behind the door might die, especially given his firearms training.

Oscar Pistorius has always maintained he believed he was shooting at an intruder.

His lawyers say the appeals court made fundamental errors, claiming in appeal papers that the court “acted unlawfully and unconstitutionally when it rejected the factual finding of the Trial Court and replaced it with a contrary factual finding of its own”.

Oscar Pistorius’ lawyer, Andrew Fawcett, says the appeal is now in the hands of the director of public prosecutions, who must decide whether there are grounds for appeal.

If so, the case will go before the Constitutional Court.

Oscar Pistorius made history by becoming the first amputee sprinter to compete at the Olympics, in London in 2012. He competed in the 400m, wearing carbon-fiber blades to run against able-bodied athletes.

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Days before Oscar Pistorius is due to be released on probation, South African prosecutors have filed papers calling for the paralympic champion to be convicted of murder.

Oscar Pistorius, 28, has spent 10 months in jail for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013, after his conviction for manslaughter last year.

The double-amputee athlete insists he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.

State prosecutors want Oscar Pistorius’ conviction to be reviewed and converted to murder, with a minimum sentence of 15 years.Oscar Pistorius appeal against verdict

Oscar Pistorius was jailed for five years in 2014 for the culpable homicide of Reeva Steenkamp, a charge equivalent to manslaughter.

Under South African law, Oscar Pistorius is eligible for release under “correctional supervision”, having served a sixth of his sentence.

After being freed, the athlete would serve the rest of his term under house arrest.

During sentencing, Judge Thokozile Masipa said the state had failed to prove Oscar Pistorius’ intent to kill when he fired.

The athlete’s defense team now has a month to file its response.

Reeva Steenkamp’s parents have said that the time he has served is “not enough for taking a life”.

Oscar Pistorius shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door at his Pretoria home, believing she was an intruder, he told his trial.

In March a Johannesburg court blocked Oscar Pistorius’ legal team’s attempts to stop the prosecutors’ appeal.