(CNN) -- From a globally lauded athlete to convicted
killer, Oscar Pistorius' fall from grace culminated
Tuesday with a five-year sentence in the shooting death
of his girlfriend.
The sentence was imposed for the charge of culpable
homicide, which in South Africa means a person was
killed unintentionally, but unlawfully.
He was also given a three-year sentence on a firearms
charge, but it was suspended for five years on condition
he is not found guilty of another crime where there is
negligence involving a firearm during that period.
That count related to an occasion when Pistorius
discharged a loaded handgun under a table in a busy
restaurant. No one was hurt.
During his trial, the double-amputee sprinter often
sobbed at the mention of his girlfriend Reeva
Steenkamp's name. He insisted that he mistook her for
an intruder when he shot her through a toilet door on
Valentine's Day 2013.
But there was very little visible reaction from Pistorius as
the sentence was read.
Pistorius' defense has called for a sentence of house
arrest and community service.
'Mine and mine alone'
Giving her reasoning Tuesday, Judge Thokozile Masipa
emphasized that the decision on sentencing would be
"mine and mine alone."
She pointed out that sentencing is not an exact science
but relies on an assessment of elements including the
nature and seriousness of the crime, the personal
circumstances of the accused and the interests of
society.
She said she would also take into account the factors in
sentencing of retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.
In any case, she said, "sentencing is about achieving
the right balance."
No 'insurmountable challenge'
In her final remarks, Masipa dismissed evidence given
by probation officer Annette Vergeer that prison would
not be able to accommodate Pistorius' disability, saying
her testimony was outdated and sketchy.
She said Pistorius would not present the prison system
with an "insurmountable challenge."
The judge added that she felt Pistorius' vulnerability had
been overstated in the evidence given and that his
excellent coping strategies -- shown in his ability to
compete with able-bodied atletes -- had been
overlooked.
He would be able to continue treatment for physical
problems and mental health issues while in prison, she
said.
In terms of the seriousness of the offense, Masipa said
Pistorius had shown gross negligence in shooting into a
small toilet cubicle, knowing there was someone inside
who could not escape. He also knew how to handle
firearms, she said, adding that these were "very
aggravating" factors.
On the other hand, mitigating factors include that
Pistorius is a first offender and remorseful, Masipa said.
She also mentioned his contribution to society in giving
his time and money to charities and inspiring others with
disabilities to believe they could succeed.
Masipa indicated that whatever sentence she handed
down would not be impacted by Pistorius' fame.
"It would be a sad day for this country if the impression
was to be created that there was one law for the poor
and disadvantaged and another for the rich and
famous," she said.
The judge also highlighted the loss suffered by
Steenkamp's family, which has had a negative impact
on her father's health.
Steenkamp was young, vivacious and full of life at the
time of her death, she said.
"The loss of life cannot be reversed. Nothing I say or do
today can reverse what happened," she said.
'Sweetest human being'
Steenkamp, 29, was a law school graduate who turned
to modeling in recent years.
"She was the kindest, sweetest human being, an angel
on earth," said her agency, Capacity Relations.
Pistorius, 27, made history when he became the first
Paralympian to compete in the able-bodied Olympics in
2012. He was born without the fibulae in his legs, which
were amputated below the knee when he was 11
months old.
At the London Olympics, he ran on special carbon fiber
blades that earned him the nickname "Blade Runner."
Even though he didn't medal, he became an inspiration
to the disabled and a national hero in South Africa.
Pistorius talked about his fame as a role model before
the shooting.
"Obviously, being an international sportsman, there's a
lot of responsibility that comes with that," he told CNN.
"So having to remember that there are kids out there,
especially, that look up to you is definitely something
that you need to keep at the back of your mind."
State prosecutor Gerrie Nel had called for a minimum
prison sentence of 10 years for Pistorius.
"This is a serious matter," Nel said at the end of the
arguments over sentencing. "The negligence borders on
intent. Ten years is the minimum."
There is no legal minimum sentence for culpable
homicide in South African law, so the decision is entirely
up to the judge's discretion.
Pistorius' siblings speak out
On the eve of Pistorius' sentencing, two of his biggest
supporters -- his siblings -- told CNN's Robyn Curnow
that the lives of everyone close to the trial have already
been changed forever, no matter the outcome.
"No one who's been close to the situation can just
overcome it," Aimee Pistorius said. "It's something my
brother will carry with him forever and ... regardless of
what's happening now it's just a certain phase in a
journey that will never end."
As the defense attorneys have argued, she said there is
no reason to doubt that her brother believed an intruder
was in the bathroom who posed a risk to him and
Steenkamp when he fired shots through the toilet door.
Aimee Pistorius said she was shocked when
she first heard about the fatal shooting.
"But also knowing my brother -- his
insecurities, who he is -- the very first thing
that came to my mind is that it could have
only been a mistaken identity for an intruder
and that's because I know my brother and I
know his fears," she said.
"It's never going to be over," Aimee Pistorius
said. "Something like this changes my
brother's life, our lives, the Steenkamps',
their family, their friends."
Whatever the court decides, public opinion
has been harsh on Oscar Pistorius, which
both siblings said had affected them.
There have even been reports of threats by
gang leaders in prison against Oscar Pistorius
that have the family worried.
Steenkamp's father: 'Only he knows'
Steenkamp's parents are skeptical about the
man who killed their daughter.
"If he's telling the truth, I may forgive him
one day," father Barry Steenkamp told the
Afrikaans-language newspaper Beeld.
But ''if it didn't happen as he described it,
he should suffer. And he will suffer ... only he
knows."

I said it o, coogar come here, he didn't walk free.

*dancing shoki*

freecocoa:
I said it o, coogar come here, he didn't walk free.

*dancing shoki*

he was guilty of culpable homicide...
the trial by the media didn't help & when i learnt he was secretly giving money to his girlfriend's family for more than a year, i knew the judge would come hard on him.

5 years isn't bad.....someone died due to his carelessness. well-deserved.

coogar:


he was guilty of culpable homicide...
the trial by the media didn't help & when i learnt he was secretly giving money to his girlfriend's family for more than a year, i knew the judge would come hard on him.

5 years isn't bad.....someone died due to his carelessness. well-deserved.

You are very lucky you are so far away from me, I for give you flying nodding, is this the song you were singing months ago?

You just realized someone died abi? Anyways my own was to see him behind bars and now, the gods have done it again.

Make we pour libation.

freecocoa:
You are very lucky you are so far away from me, I for give you flying nodding, is this the song you were singing months ago?

yes.....months ago, you said he was guilty of murder. murder & manslaughter are 2 different things. i never disputed pistorius shot his girlfriend. what was disputed was whether he deliberately killed her. i said it wasn't deliberate, you said it was. the court said he said he wasn't guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter......

You just realized someone died abi? Anyways my own was to see him behind bars and now, the gods have done it again.

Make we pour libation.

i knew someone died from the outset - what we argued was if oscar pistorius intentionally killed his girlfriend. go back to the original thread and read it again.

coogar:


yes.....months ago, you said he was guilty of murder. murder & manslaughter are 2 different things. i never disputed pistorius shot his girlfriend. what was disputed was whether he deliberately killed her. i said it wasn't deliberate, you said it was. the court said he said he wasn't guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter......



i knew someone died from the outset - what we argued was if oscar pistorius intentionally killed his girlfriend. go back to the original thread and read it again.

I wonder why you are not a lawyer, true we argued about it being deliberate or not but you were going on as if he would be free of all charges, I remember you almost boasting he'd walk free.

Whatever sha, I'm just excited he got jail term, it woulda been a shame if he'd walked.

Still maintain dude shot his girlfriend knowingly, he prolly didn't expect her to die, anyhoo, the judge has decided, I can manage the sentence .

freecocoa:
I wonder why you are not a lawyer, true we argued about it being deliberate or not but you were going on as if he would be free of all charges, I remember you almost boasting he'd walk free.

i boasted he would walk free from the charges he was alleged to have committed & he did. the prosecutors pressed murder charges against him. he wasn't found guilty of murder.

Whatever sha, I'm just excited he got jail term, it woulda been a shame if he'd walked.
Still maintain dude shot his girlfriend knowingly, he prolly didn't expect her to die, anyhoo, the judge has decided, I can manage the sentence .

he shouldn't have been sent to jail. he's disabled. house arrest should have been ok. the prison gang leader has been making threats he would kill oscar. he's lost everything now.......the depression might drive him to suicide.

i can understand why the judge gave him 5 years though. they wouldn't want to make it look like one law for the common man & another for high-profile celebrities. he was careless but i cannot say for sure he deliberately killed his girlfriend.

Anger! Anger!! Uncontrolled Anger!!! Just my take.

One down,one to go.
To me this is like a slap on d wrist.

5yrs aint enough for taking someone's life...

coogar:


i boasted he would walk free from the charges he was alleged to have committed & he did. the prosecutors pressed murder charges against him. he wasn't found guilty of murder.



he shouldn't have been sent to jail. he's disabled. house arrest should have been ok. the prison gang leader has been making threats he would kill oscar. he's lost everything now.......the depression might drive him to suicide.

i can understand why the judge gave him 5 years though. they wouldn't want to make it look like one law for the common man & another for high-profile celebrities. he was careless but i cannot say for sure he deliberately killed his girlfriend.

Yea yea, a lady died, so....

If you ask me, the sentence was fair and reasonable...cudos to judge thokozile masipa...because she was very patient and reasonable in explaining the sentence.
While we may think 5 years is small, let's be reminded that the prosecuting party were not thorough....The defence did a pretty good job and we hope this does nt stink further into an appeal....

freecocoa:
Yea yea, a lady died, so....

that is what concerns you - a lady died, a man must be punished whether it's intentional or not intentional.

freecocoa, your wish has been granted or you still want more punishment? should i email the judge on your behalf to add manual castration to the sentence?

coogar:


that is what concerns you - a lady died, a man must be punished whether it's intentional or not intentional.

freecocoa, your wish has been granted or you still want more punishment? should i email the judge on your behalf to add manual castration to the sentence?

Because I'm very kind hearted, i'll make do with this one, seriously though, I'm starting to feel for him, prison's gon r'pe him bad.

freecocoa:
Because I'm very kind hearted, i'll make do with this one, seriously though, I'm starting to feel for him, prison's gon r'pe him bad.

he's too high profile!
he would be in solitary confinement. they won't let him interact with others. he will have the luxury - like abacha's son in prison.

coogar:


he's too high profile!
he would be in solitary confinement. they won't let him interact with others. he will have the luxury - like abacha's son in prison.

Story, I trust those men in there will find a way to get to him and even if they don't, confinement is punishment enough, I highly doubt he'd get the kinda treatment you trying to paint.

Like he's gon be gettin' p*ssy in there, duh!

freecocoa:
Story, I trust those men in there will find a way to get to him and even if they don't, confinement is punishment enough, I highly doubt he'd get the kinda treatment you trying to paint.

Like he's gon be gettin' p*ssy in there, duh!

this is africa, not obodo oyibo!
what kind of treatment would mikel obi get if he gets sent to prison. even the prison wardens would be queuing up to get oscar's autograph. he's a national icon in south africa.

coogar:


he shouldn't have been sent to jail. he's disabled. house arrest should have been ok. the prison gang leader has been making threats he would kill oscar. he's lost everything now.......the depression might drive him to suicide.

i can understand why the judge gave him 5 years though. they wouldn't want to make it look like one law for the common man & another for high-profile celebrities. he was careless but i cannot say for sure he deliberately killed his girlfriend.

That's the point.

All his life, he's been competing against able-bodied athletes with thisame disability, shot Reeva with same disability, have been doing fine with same disability. Why now move away from the real judgement cos he is disabled?

With his money, he should be okay in the prison. The gang leader would do nada, Oscar just have to buy himself some protection for the next 5 years.

IMO, it's a fair judgement, if this was to be some broke disabled guy, dude would be getting 15 years imprisonment.

coogar:


this is africa, not obodo oyibo!
what kind of treatment would mikel obi get if he gets sent to prison. even the prison wardens would be queuing up to get oscar's autograph. he's a national icon in south africa.

It's Africa aite but not Nigeria so I bet it would be a tad different than you think.

Answer me though, any chance of him getting laid there?

B

freecocoa:
It's Africa aite but not Nigeria so I bet it would be a tad different than you think.
Answer me though, any chance of him getting laid there?

not a chance - if any attempt is made, it would constitute a good ground to have his custodial sentence converted into non-custodial. he's disabled!

AirborneLacer:

That's the point.

All his life, he's been competing against able-bodied athletes with thisame disability, shot Reeva with same disability, have been doing fine with same disability. Why now move away from the real judgement cos he is disabled?
With his money, he should be okay in the prison. The gang leader would do nada, Oscar just have to buy himself some protection for the next 5 years.

IMO, it's a fair judgement, if this was to be some broke disabled guy, dude would be getting 15 years imprisonment.

hehe!

Why is it that only two persons are making comment , freecocoa & coogar.

coogar:


i boasted he would walk free from the charges he was alleged to have committed & he did. the prosecutors pressed murder charges against him. he wasn't found guilty of murder.



he shouldn't have been sent to jail. he's disabled. house arrest should have been ok. the prison gang leader has been making threats he would kill oscar. he's lost everything now.......the depression might drive him to suicide.

i can understand why the judge gave him 5 years though. they wouldn't want to make it look like one law for the common man & another for high-profile celebrities. he was careless but i cannot say for sure he deliberately killed his girlfriend.

Do you reason at all?

Anyone who kills anyone henceforth,should just start crying with phlegm and mucus. Holding the dead victim and shouting,i thought it was an intruder" .That person will be given a light sentence

hollandis:

Do you reason at all?

your brain cells must be at the soles of your feet. contribute your own opinion & stop sniffing my own comments, doofus!

Unfair judgement. Pervert justice. He killed a young lady and got 5years in jail which might end up in just 2 years.

just ä pat on the back this is. 28years imprisonment with hard labour and i'm fine.

Life is a teacher, every one sud learn from his case.

He will only spend 10 months in prison and the rest will be a house arrest