Oscar Pistorius, the double-amputee runner known around the world as ‘Blade Runner,’ has officially been indicted by prosecutors for the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day. He is being charged with murder and illegal possession of ammunition.
Pistorius, 26, was in court Monday and was seen crying, reports The Associated Press. He has denied that he planned to kill Steenkamp, who would have turned 30 Monday, mistaking her for a burglar. However, prosecutors believe that he killed her following an argument and they have witnesses from their neighborhood who will testify to that.
The case now goes to the High Court in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria. There, a judge will decide if Pistorius is guilty or not guilty, without a jury, since South africa doesn’t have trial by jury. Anyone convicted of premeditated murder is sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison and, as the AP notes, there is no death penalty in the country.
Steenkamp was a model and had just made a reality TV series for South African television before her death. According to CNN, her uncle, Michael Steenkamp, released a statement on the family’s behalf on Monday.
“My wife and myself are going up to (see) my brother in Port Elizabeth, and we will be there with (Reeva's parents) on Monday to be there for Reeva's birthday. What could we do? Bake a cake and you know sit down quietly and reminisce about the qualities of Reeva's life,” he said. “If I can't forgive [Pistorius], and I have been forgiven, then that is our sin. And I very much asked the Lord to guide me before I got to Port Elizabeth when the tragedy happened ... that took a lot of pressure off my shoulders.”
Since Pistorius’ arrest, he has only been seen in public twice.
The trial is set for March 3.
image: Wikimedia Commons
