Oscar Pistorius Seeks Appeal to South Africa's Constitutional Court

Strategic Insights -

Oscar Pistorius, a double-amputee runner convicted of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, is seeking an appeal to South Africa's Constitutional Court, challenging the appeals court's conviction. Pistorius's lawyer, Barry Roux, has requested bail for the Olympian, citing stricter conditions including electronic monitoring. The prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, has expressed concerns that Pistorius may attempt to flee, given the severity of his crime and the possibly tough sentence that awaits him.

Key Takeaways:

  • Oscar Pistorius is seeking an appeal to South Africa's Constitutional Court, challenging the appeals court's conviction of murder.
  • Pistorius's lawyer, Barry Roux, has requested bail with stricter conditions, including electronic monitoring.
  • Prosecutor Gerrie Nel has expressed concerns that Pistorius may attempt to flee, given the severity of his crime and the possibly tough sentence that awaits him.
  • Pistorius was previously convicted of manslaughter and served one year of a five-year prison sentence.
  • Pistorius is currently under house arrest at his uncle's home, where he has some freedom of movement.
  • A date for sentencing on the murder conviction has not yet been set, despite the appeals court's conviction.
  • The minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years, though a judge can reduce that sentence for exceptional circumstances.
  • Pistorius's earlier manslaughter conviction was thrown out by an appeals court, which instead convicted him of murder.
  • Pistorius has been seen in public only a few times since his original conviction, including a photograph published in a South African newspaper last weekend and a video of him reporting to a Pretoria police station for community service.

Statistics:

  • Pistorius has been under house arrest since October 2018.
  • He served one year of a five-year prison sentence for the previous manslaughter conviction.
  • The minimum sentence for murder in South Africa is 15 years.
  • Pistorius is currently under electronic monitoring at his uncle's home, where he is restricted to a six-mile (10km) radius.
  • The date for sentencing on the murder conviction has not yet been set.

Sources:

  • "Oscar Pistorius wants to take his case to Constitutional Court", available at [www.timeslive.co.za](http://www.timeslive.co.za) (no date)
  • [www.news24.com](http://www.news24.com) (no date)
  • [www.iol.co.za](http://www.iol.co.za) (no date)