Pistorious gets 5 years..

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**sarpedons-right-hand**

Breaking news on this side of the pond anyway..

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29700457

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been jailed for five years for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Judge Thokozile Masipa, issuing the ruling in court in Pretoria, also gave Pistorius a three-year suspended sentence for a firearms charge.
The prosecution had called for a minimum 10-year sentence; the defence for community service and house arrest. Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.

Judge Masipa said: "Sentencing is about achieving the right balance. Sentencing is not a perfect exercise."She said there must be a balance between retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.
The judge began summarising the evidence brought before the trial. She described the evidence of defence witness and social worker Annette Vergeer as "slapdash and disappointing".
Ms Vergeer had argued Pistorius would be "a lot more vulnerable than the normal man" in jail. But Judge Masipa said she was sure prisons were equipped to cater for the requirements of a special needs inmate.

She also said she had a "feeling of unease" at what she called an overemphasis on the athlete's vulnerability. However, she said Pistorius had made an "enormous contribution to society", in his charity work and in changing the public perception of disability.
The judge then read out a quote from previous legal opinion, saying that if sentences were too lenient, the administration of justice may fall into disrepute. She said she found the suggestions of sentences made by defence witnesses "not appropriate".

Pistorius, 27, an amputee sprinter who became the first athlete to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, killed Ms Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year. He says he shot her by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in his house in the capital, Pretoria.
Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV star and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets fired by Pistorius through a toilet door.

Last month, Judge Masipa cleared Pistorius of murder, but convicted him of culpable homicide, saying he had been negligent. The high-profile, seven-month trial has captured public attention in South Africa and beyond.
There is no legal limit on the length of a jail term, but experts say the typical maximum sentence for culpable homicide is around 15 years. However, even after the sentence is announced in Pretoria, the case may not be over.

Both the prosecution and the defence have the right to appeal against the verdict.

**Co'tor Shas**

Seems reasonable for a manslaughter charge, but I don't think he should be allowed acess to any guns for the rest of his life. And possibly have a psyc exam to see if he has a problem with paranoia.

**Ensis Ferrae**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
Seems reasonable for a manslaughter charge, but I don't think he should be allowed acess to any guns for the rest of his life. And possibly have a psyc exam to see if he has a problem with paranoia.

If South African law is anything similar to ours, he won't be allowed guns ever. I do wonder how this will affect his "career" as a professional athlete though. I hear prisons are tough training environments.

**Sigvatr**

Co'tor Shas wrote:
Seems reasonable for a manslaughter charge, but I don't think he should be allowed acess to any guns for the rest of his life. And possibly have a psyc exam to see if he has a problem with paranoia.

You do realize that he is not guilty of manslaughter? Unless you mean involuntary manslaughter.

**Co'tor Shas**

That's exactly what I mean. I don't know the actual legal term for it, I just treat manslaughter as killing someone with it not being murder.

**Iron_Captain**

If he truly is innocent, the sentence is too harsh.
If he actually did shoot her on purpose, the sentence is too soft.

His story seems unlikely to me, but that does not mean it is false. I think this is a difficult case. Even if it seems likely he shot his girlfriend on purpose, it is impossible to prove.
I think they took a good middle ground.

**Jihadin**

Not going to second another country justice system. Best one I've seen tough for entertainment purpose is North Korea