Convicted killer and South African Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was denied early release from prison on Friday.
Pistorius was convicted in 2014 of the Feb. 14, 2013 shooting death of his girlfriend, model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp, 29.
At his trial, the double amputee claimed he shot Steenkamp through the bathroom door of his luxury home because he thought she was a burglar.
Pistorius’ lawyers argued this week that he had been rehabilitated, but their appeal was ultimately rejected by the parole board.
He has served about half of his 15-year sentence for culpable homicide, and will be up for parole again in Aug. 2024, the New York Times reported.
A lawyer for Steenkamp’s family, Tania Koen, said the model’s loved ones were relieved that Pistorious would remain behind bars.
“He hasn’t told the truth,” Koen said of Pistorious, who was known as the “Blade Runner” during his heralded athletic career.
“Unless he comes clean, they don’t feel that he is rehabilitated,” she concluded.
The athlete went from public hero to convicted murderer in a trial that drew worldwide interest.
Once the darling of the Paralympic movement for pushing for greater recognition and acceptance of disabled athletes, Pistorius shot dead Steenkamp, a model and law student, in his bathroom on Valentine’s Day in 2013.
Gun enthusiast Pistorius told the court he had believed Steenkamp was an intruder when he shot her several times with ammunition designed to inflict maximum damage to the human body.
He was jailed in 2016, initially for a six-year term, but had this sentence increased to 13 years after an appeal by prosecutors who argued the initial sentence was too lenient.
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Fifteen(15) years for murder, or culpable homicide just seems too soft. This dirtbag will be out in 10 years unfortunately. Why the “F” aren’t we making murderers serve out their full term? This slime-bag shoulda got 20 years, & served 20 years. That would be justice.