VIDEO: Oscar Pistorius convicted of murder
A South African appeals court has convicted Oscar Pistorius of murder, overturning a lower court’s manslaughter conviction.
The double-amputee Olympian had previously been convicted on the lesser charge of manslaughter for shooting his girlfriend to death in 2013.
Justice Lorimer Leach of the Supreme Court of Appeal delivered the ruling by the five-judge appeals court today in Bloemfontein and said the trial court, the North Gauteng High Court, should impose sentence.
Pistorius killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in the early morning of Valentine’s Day.
He insisted he thought she was an intruder behind a door in his home.
The prosecution said Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp during an argument.
Mr Leach said, regardless of who might have behind the door, Pistorius should have known someone could be killed if he fired.
"The accused ought to have been found guilty of murder on the basis that he had fired the fatal shots with criminal intent," the judge told the courtroom, in which Ms Steenkamp's mother sat.
A 15-year prison sentence is the minimum punishment for murder in South Africa. However, the law allows for a lesser sentence to be imposed in exceptional circumstances.
Pistorius was placed under house arrest in October after serving one year in prison.
He had been sentenced to five years in prison for manslaughter.
His lawyers can also argue that he should be shown leniency because he is disabled.
Pistorius, 29, killed Miss Steenkamp in the early morning of Valentine’s Day. He said he thought she was an intruder behind the door of a bathroom in his home.
The prosecution said Pistorius shot Miss Steenkamp during an argument.
Justice Leach said regardless of who might have been behind the door, Pistorius should have known someone could be killed if he fired.
“The identity of his victim is irrelevant to his guilt,” the judge said.
Justice Leach described the story of Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp as a "human tragedy of Shakespearean proportions" whose legal aftermath was conducted in the glare of international attention.
"A young man overcomes huge physical disabilities to reach Olympian heights as an athlete," Justice Leach said.
"In doing so he becomes an international celebrity. He meets a young woman of great natural beauty and a successful model.
"Romance blossoms and then ironically, on Valentine's Day, all is destroyed when he takes her life."
Under the concept of “dolus eventualis” in South African law, a person can be convicted of murder if they foresaw the possibility of someone dying through their actions and went ahead anyway.
Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, sat quietly in the courtroom during the announcement, which was carried on TV. Pistorius was not there.
A date for Pistorius's new sentencing will be announced in the city of Pretoria, where he had been tried and imprisoned.
Pistorius, a multiple Paralympic champion, became one of the world’s most famous athletes and the first amputee to run at the Olympics and the able-bodied world championships.
He was known as “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre running blades.
The former athlete's family said in a statement that it had taken note of the judgment.
"The legal team will study the finding and we will be guided by them in terms of options going forward," the statement said.
Ms Steenkamp's father, Barry, told South African television channel ANN7 that he was relieved by the judgment and described it as fair.
"Let us now all get on with our lives," Mr Steenkamp said. His voice breaking with emotion, he said of his daughter: "I'm sure she'll be able to rest as well now."
