A sentence for Oscar Pistorius is looming.
After 41 days of testimony in the Pretoria High Court, Oscar Pistorius may be acquitted or he may face a 25-year minimum sentence depending on how the prosecution made its case or if stronger improbabilities exist, according to the Toronto Sun.
On August 14, 2014, the murder trial against the Paralympic athlete has already stretched to 157 days.
On March 3, Judge Thokozile Masipa swore in the two assessors. Gerrie Nel, the state prosecutor, read to Pistorius his charges for the first time. Pistorius was charged with premeditated murder plus three charges for contravention of Section 120 of the Firearms Control Act. The athlete pleads not guilty to all charges. The first witness, Michelle Burger testified against Pistorius.
On March 7, Johan Stipp, a neighbor, testified that he walked into Pistorius' house to find the athlete kneeling beside his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's body. He was crying.
On March 10, Professor Gert Saayman, the state pathologist said that he discovered partially digested food in Steenkamp's stomach, which means that she ate two hours before she died. This puts doubt on Pistorius' story that they went to bed at 10 p.m. before the incident happened.
In a report by iOL News, on March 20, Captain Christian Mangena, police ballistics expert, disputed the athlete's version that he fired shots in quick succession. Mangena's statements corroborated the testimony of Burger that there was a pause between the shots.
On April 7, Pistorius took the witness stand for the first time. He apologized to the victim's parents. He gave a touching speech, talking about his bouts of depression and how the incident terrified him after.
On May 12, it was suggested that Pistorius be taken for mental observation after he had a generalized anxiety disorder or GAD. According to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Merryl Vorster, a person with GAD can be dangerous and will likely face an impending danger than flee.
On June 30, the mental evaluation report ruled out GAD and that at the time of the incident, Pistorius did not suffer from a mental disorder that would hinder his ability to differentiate what was right and wrong. Gerhard Versveld, the orthopedic surgeon who amputated Pistorius' legs when he was still a baby, also stated that the athlete had difficulty moving on his stumps, which would make it almost impossible to flee from harm.
In a report by the Washington Post, after months of testimony, Judge Masipa will take about five weeks to consider the facts and decide whether Pistorius made a terrible mistake or truly intended to murder his girlfriend on Valentine's Day.
Do you think the Blade Runner is guilty or not guilty? Let us know in the comments below.
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