BBC: "South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been given five years in jail for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp."
Judge Thokozile Masipa also gave Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms charge.
The parents of Reeva Steenkamp told the BBC they were happy with the sentence and relieved the case was over. The defence [sic] said it expected Pistorius to serve about 10 months in prison.
The Guardian takes a contrarian view: "Oscar Pistorius should not be going to jail"
Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.
Prosecutors had called for a minimum 10-year term, and the defence [sic] had argued for community service and house arrest.
Judge Masipa said she considered her sentence "fair and just, both to society and to the accused".
She said: "A non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message to the community. On the other hand, a long sentence would also not be appropriate either, as it would lack the element of mercy."
31 comments:
I thought his excuse sounded like BS. total BS.
He shot his girlfriend through the bathroom door because he thought there was an intruder in there? Is that what happened?
I barely paid attention to this.
Yeah, BS, through the door, that reasoning doesn't stand up.
That defense didn't have any legs.
Jeeze, the guy didn't have a leg to stand on.
You should never spring into action with a shotgun.
I guess he had just sprint off to jail now,eh?
I don't think the judge raced to any conclusions.
no srsly, the judge said a lighter message would send the wrong message. How Mercurial. Yeah, that's what verdicts are for -- send messages.
Sounds like he got a leg up on the law.
The prosecution was stumped.
I make it a point to never second guess a criminal trial when I haven't seen or heard all the evidence.
Same with the cop in Ferguson. I'll accept the Grand Jury's decision.
I'd have sentenced him to house arrest with an ankle bracelet.
Maybe Pistorius's hysterics in court paid off?
@Eric. Can't they just take away his prostheses?
He was heard to mutter on the way out of court "Call me, Ishmael", twice.
He was also heard to mutter: "Be gone, ankle biters!"
I wonder how he footed his legal bill.
Let's hope that from now on he toes the line.
Say what you will but he's never put his foot in his mouth.
Will he now become a gay blade?
Don't blame me, my brother told me that.
I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, but it never did.
His court histrionics didn't fly so he put a sock on it.
He gives new meaning to the word "heel".
Was that an arch comment?
I thought it was fibulous.
This is what happens when scufflaws get into tarsals with the law.
His defense arranged a good phalanx of facts but shooting without seeing was always its Achilles heel.
Upon entering the prison Pistorius was processed and assigned his unique digits, for now he would be just a number.
The sentence would have been more severe had prosecution's case not been so club footed.
ANC justice.
He'd be smart to leave Darkest Africa.
Walking on his hands.
Yeah it was a slap on the wrist, what else did you expect the judge to do? Place him in leg irons?
As Shakespeare said "Tibia, or not tibia."
Only he wrote it in cuneiform.
I know - talus about it!
I found him to be sympathetic and at the same time culpable. When listening to his testimony, you can hear his utter defeat and contriteness, but underneath I could hear an undercurrent of rage. Rage at why he was undergoing this process. If he killed his girlfriend (who was hawt and I mean truly a beauty!!! What a waste.) then he knows remorse at least, but his anger/passion drove him to that and the aftereffects are nothing but sheer horror and regret in the form of 'OH FUCK WHAT HAVE I DONE?!?!"
His story was so much bullshit that I am surprised that anyone, anywhere bought any of it, for a second.
I only shoot through the door when trick or treaters show up on my porch.
Otherwise I stay in my shoes.
I tole you guys two years ago that this guy was dirt when he kept his spot on the Paralympic squad after being allowed to compete in the four-limbed Olympics (I figured this out after watching a South Park episode). No one would listen.
And now a woman is dead and a lower-leg-less man is in chains, or maybe cuffs, and we are to be subjected to several days of sometimes painful and sometimes amusing puns. Next time I hope you'll heed the warning.
On the other hand, if he should escape, the temptation of attempting to make clever wordplay may be too strong to resist.
You think he'll hoof on out of there?
He had better stay on his toes while he's in prison - he is a mere calf among bulls.
Wouldn't hurt to sharpen those blades or the hoofer will wind up a heifer.
Galvanic corrosion is his version of athlete's foot.
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