Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, but cleared of more serious murder charges in connection with the killing of his girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, at his home last year, NBC News reported. He was also found guilty of discharging a gun in a public area, but acquitted of other charges.
The double amputee known as "the blade runner" for his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, showed little emotion as Judge Thokozile Masipa delivered the long-awaited verdict Friday.
"On count one, murder read with section 51-1 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997, the accused is found not guilty and is discharged," Masipa said as she read the verdict. "Instead, he is found guilty of culpable homicide."
"Culpable homicide is similar to manslaughter in the United States, and he could receive anywhere from a suspended sentence or house arrest to a 15-year sentence, with the sentence at the discretion of the judge," ABC News reported. "Mitigating factors, such as his emotional state, anxiety levels and disability could result in a lesser sentence."
In addition, Pistorius was also found guilty of discharging a gun in a public area for a 2013 restaurant incident. However, he was acquitted in a 2012 incident in which he allegedly fired a gun out of the open sunroof of a friend's car. He was also acquitted of illegal possession of ammunition.
Pistorius, a legless paralympian who gained fame as the "Blade Runner" for his prosthetics, has been accused of gunning down Steenkamp through a locked bathroom door in his home last year. While he has denied charges of premeditated murder, alleging that he mistook her for an intruder, the prosecution has argued that the athlete intentionally fired in an anger fueled rage.
His defense team, however, argued that he thought she was an intruder, a version of events the judge said she could not rule out as untrue, Voice of America reported.
On Thursday, Masipa ruled that there was insufficient evidence to show that the athlete intentionally killed Steenkamp.
"The accused acted negligently when he fired shots into the toilet door knowing there was someone behind the door," Masipa said. "A reasonable person would have foreseen the possibility that the person behind the door might have been killed by the shots."
But he did not act consistently with someone who had just committed murder, noting he quickly called authorities and tried to resuscitate Steenkamp, the judge said, ruling that Pistorius could remain free on bail until the sentencing, set for October 13, as he has been throughout the marathon trial.
While South Africa's prosecuting authority said it was "disappointed" with the verdict, Pistorius' uncle, Arnold, welcomed the murder acquittal, stating that the family "never had any doubt about Oscar's version of events," according to ABC News.
Meanwhile, Steenkamp's parents expressed "disbelief" at the ruling. In an interview NBC News, Steenkamp's mother June said the verdict "is not justice for Reeva."
The trial has spanned five months, prolonged by several interruptions including a month-long break so the Paralympian sprinter could be examined by mental health experts.
Pistorius was the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics, at the 2012 games in London.
