Oscar Pistorius Verdict: Olympic Star Not Guilty Of Premeditated Murder Of Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Sep 11, 2014 08:43 AM EDT
Oscar Pistorius sits in the Pretoria High Court on September 11, 2014
Oscar Pistorius sits in the Pretoria High Court on September 11, 2014, in Pretoria, South Africa. South African Judge Thokosile Masipa is due to give her verdict as the six month trial of Olympic double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius comes to an end today. His defence maintained that Mr Pistorius mistook Ms Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder in his home when he fired several shots into his bathroom allegedly in self-defence but killing his girlfriend. "

South African Olympic star Oscar Pistorius was found not guilty of premeditated murder in the shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013 and while he could face guilt on other charges in the case, he avoided a guilty ruling for the main issue at hand.

The judge stated that there were not enough facts in the case to warrant a guilty verdict on that charge and Judge Thokozile Masipa said "prosecutors have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Pistorius, 27, is guilty of premeditated murder." After the incident and in court, Pistorius claimed that he did not know it was his girlfriend in the bathroom of his home when he shot through the door, thinking it was an intruder.

From ESPN.com: "Culpable homicide is a competent verdict," the judge said, but did not deliver any formal verdicts in the shooting death of Pistorius' 29-year-old girlfriend before calling for a lunch break in the proceedings.

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