Over a year after Olympian Oscar Pistorius went to trial for shooting and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, South Africa Judge Thokozile Masipa is ready to announce a verdict on September 11.
In the timeline of events published by the International Business Times, the incident happened on Valentine's Day of 2013, where the 27-year-old double amputee fired four shots through the door at his home allegedly thinking there was an intruder. The trial began in March of the same year, and while prosecutors had produced witnesses implying that Pistorius may have known he was shooting Steenkamp, he had also repeatedly denied knowing it was her behind the door. The case dragged on to August 2014, when both sides finally gave their closing arguments and braced themselves for a decision.
The media has come up with several possible outcomes for the athlete come judgment day. According to The Epoch Times, there is a chance that Pistorius may avoid spending time in jail even if he is found guilty of a lesser charge than first degree murder, which translates to at least 25 years in prison. In the article, Cape Town-based criminal lawyer William Booth noted that if Judge Masipa decides on culpable homicide (which sides with the claim that Pistorius actually thought he was shooting an intruder but that his actions were not reasonable), this type of sentence will be at the judge's discretion -- and the judge could rule "no jail time."
Other potential outcomes would include Judge Masipa believing that it was pre-meditated -- that he is guilty and knew that it was Steenkamp he was shooting (upwards of 25 years in jail), that it was not pre-meditated (at least 15 years in jail), or that his actions were reasonable (acquittal). The South Africa court system does not make use of a jury, so it will be all up to Judge Masipa to decide.
Whatever the outcome, it is likely that either party will file an appeal based on the facts of the case.
According to a report by HeraldLive, "The move by Oscar Pistorius's defence team to close its case because certain witnesses refused to testify due to the intense media scrutiny may be a critical part of an appeal or a review strategy in the case of a conviction."
Professor Anthony Minnaar of the University of South Africa's school of criminology and Wits University criminal law expert Stephen Tuson, both think that the defence team could be preparing for an appeal, as reported by HeraldLive.
Minaar said, "It is to keep all options open for appeal. [An] appeal could well succeed as Pistorius's defence team can show that not all evidence has been heard as certain witnesses were 'afraid' to testify. If they are successful in applying for an appeal, a whole new case will have to be made out as the entire case will have to be taken up on review."
Tuson also commented, "[It] could be on a review of procedure, on the basis that the media scrutiny around the trial made it impossible for Pistorius to get a fair trial."