Oscar Pistorius Found Guilty Of Culpable homicide

A South African judge on Friday ruled Oscar Pistorius guilty of
culpable homicide in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
and declared him not guilty of murder.

Prosecutors said they were disappointed by the ruling but would decide
on whether to appeal only after sentencing.

A conviction of culpable homicide, or negligent killing, can bring a
maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

Judge Thokozile Masipa said there was not enough evidence to support
the contention that Pistorius knew Steenkamp was behind a locked
toilet door in his home when he shot through the door in the predawn
hours of Valentine's Day last year. Masipa said prosecutors had not
proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Pistorius intended to kill
Steenkamp.

Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of negligently killing Reeva
Steenkamp and could face 15 years in jail.

Pistorius' family thanked Masipa for the lack of a murder charge in a
statement released Friday morning.

"It is a big burden off our shoulders and Oscar," the statement read.
"We always knew the facts of the matter. We never had any doubt in
Oscar's version of this tragic incident."

Still, the family noted there are "no victors in this."

"We as a family remain deeply affected by the devastating tragedy,"
they wrote. "It won't bring Reeva back, but our hearts still go out
for her family and friends."

Masipa said Pistorius' sentencing hearing would begin Oct. 13. Both
sides will be able to call witnesses to argue ahead of the judge's
ruling on if, or for how long, Pistorius is sent to prison for
negligently killing Steenkamp.

The killing by a national sports hero stunned South Africans, and
reactions on the verdict were mixed.

"Well, I think the verdict is shocking to say the least," said Leonard
Gray in Port Elizabeth, Steenkamp's hometown. "I think there is clear
evidence and indications that he committed murder in this case. ... I
feel sorry for Reeva Steenkamp's family because they are not going to
get any closure because this guy is basically getting away with
murder, in my opinion."

However, Shrina Padayachy, also in Port Elizabeth, called the judge's
verdict "fair and just because it's the prosecution that must prove
beyond a reasonable doubt, and from what I gather and seen, they
haven't."

The red-robed judge ordered Pistorius, 27, to stand before she
delivered the formal verdict on the multiple counts against him and
said it was a unanimous verdict, meaning she and her two legal
assessors agreed on the findings.

Unlike many other times during a trial that began in March, Pistorius
showed no emotion as he stood in a dark suit with his hands crossed in
front of him. The double-amputee Olympian was hugged by relatives when
the judge ordered a recess soon after announcing her verdicts. The
judge later ruled that Pistorius be granted bail with the same terms
as before.

Some legal analysts said they understood why Pistorius was found not
guilty of premeditated murder but were surprised that the runner was
not convicted of murder.

"We believe there is sufficient and credible evidence to secure a
conviction" on a murder charge, said Nathi Mncube, spokesman for the
National Prosecuting Authority. He added that any decision to appeal
the judge's ruling would come after the case is "concluded" with
sentencing.

The sentence for a culpable homicide conviction is at the judge's
discretion, and it can range from a suspended sentence and a fine to
up to 15 years in prison.

After the verdict, Pistorius sat with his sister, Aimee, on the wooden
bench where he has spent most of his six-month murder trial. She put
an arm around his shoulders and spoke to him.

For the first time in the trial, Pistorius left by going down the
stairs that led to the cells in the courthouse. That's because
Pistorius' bail expired after his conviction, and the judge was
considering whether to regrant him bail. One of Pistorius' lawyers,
Brian Webber, said Pistorius was taken to a "holding position."