Last year, the world was shocked when the track star was charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steencamp. Pistrorius maintained his innocence, saying that he shot her by accident. This morning, he was acquitted of pre-meditated murder. Hit the jump for details.
Via ESPN:
The judge in Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial appeared to be heading for a culpable homicide finding Thursday after ruling out both both premeditated murder and murder verdicts in the shooting death of the double-amputee Olympic athlete’s girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said prosecutors have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Pistorius, 27, is guilty of premeditated murder.
“Culpable homicide is a competent verdict,” the judge said, but did not deliver any formal verdicts in the shooting death of Pistorius’ 29-year-old girlfriend before calling for a lunch break in the proceedings.
Culpable homicide refers to a negligent killing. If Pistorius is formally acquitted of murder, he could still be sent to jail for years if it’s found he acted negligently in Steenkamp’s death. Pistorius has admitted firing the four shots that killed Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.
Pistorius says he mistook his girlfriend, a model and budding reality TV star, for an intruder and killed her accidentally. The prosecution alleges the athlete intentionally killed her after a loud argument, which was heard by neighbors
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