Oscar Pistorius Sentencing Latest News: House Arrest For Sprinter? Steenkamp's Mother Rejects 'Blood Money'
Oscar Pistorius' defense team has called for the double-amputee, who was found not guilty of the murder of girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, to be served with house arrest and avoid prison time altogether for her manslaughter.
It was argued that Pistorius would be vulnerable to gang rape if he be sent to prison, and that prison time would not be suitable as a punishment in his case.
Probation officer Annette Vergeer described "the dangers of drugs, gangs and sodomy in South Africa's prisons, which she said are poorly equipped for disabled people" such as Pistorius.
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On top of that, the defense has argued, is the high risk of AIDS and tuberculosis transmission in South African prisons, which they allege are notoriously overcrowded and have poor sanitation.
Judge Thokozile Masipa is expected to pass down the sentence this week. It could range from a "suspended jail sentence and a fine" to a 15 years prison time.
Based on her judgment, Pistorius acted "negligently" for firing a gun four times through a toilet cubicle door, killing Ms. Steenkamp on the spot. She accepted the defense plea that the Paralympian "had genuinely mistaken" her for an intruder.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the athlete offered a large lump sum of money to the parents of his slain girlfriend, as a type of apology for his killing their daughter. According to reports, the $34,000 offer was rejected by Steenkamp's parents. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel, the one who revealed the offer, said that she [Mrs. Steenkamp] "does not want blood money."
