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| Attempt to appeal against 'shockingly lenient' Pistorius sentence rejected | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A South African judge has rejected an application by state prosecutors to appeal against Oscar Pistorius’ six-year murder sentence, saying the petition had no reasonable prospects of success. | A South African judge has rejected an application by state prosecutors to appeal against Oscar Pistorius’ six-year murder sentence, saying the petition had no reasonable prospects of success. |
| Prosecutor Gerrie Nel had argued in court that the sentence for murdering Reeva Steenkamp was “shockingly lenient and disturbingly inappropriate”. | Prosecutor Gerrie Nel had argued in court that the sentence for murdering Reeva Steenkamp was “shockingly lenient and disturbingly inappropriate”. |
| But judge Thokozile Masipa on Friday rejected the application to appeal against the sentence at the supreme court. | But judge Thokozile Masipa on Friday rejected the application to appeal against the sentence at the supreme court. |
| Pistorius shot Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. | Pistorius shot Steenkamp, a model and law graduate, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, saying he mistook her for a burglar when he fired four times through the door of his bedroom toilet. |
| At his sentencing in July, Masipa listed mitigating factors for giving him less than half the minimum 15-year term for murder, including the athlete’s claim he believed he was shooting an intruder. | At his sentencing in July, Masipa listed mitigating factors for giving him less than half the minimum 15-year term for murder, including the athlete’s claim he believed he was shooting an intruder. |
| “I’m of the view that a long term of imprisonment will not serve justice,” Masipa said. | “I’m of the view that a long term of imprisonment will not serve justice,” Masipa said. |
| But Nel argued that the six-year sentence was flawed and that it should be appealed against. | But Nel argued that the six-year sentence was flawed and that it should be appealed against. |
| Masipa was the judge who had originally convicted Pistorius of the lesser charge of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter. An appeals court upgraded his conviction to murder in December. | Masipa was the judge who had originally convicted Pistorius of the lesser charge of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter. An appeals court upgraded his conviction to murder in December. |
| Pistorius’s defence said it was an “insult” to suggest that the court’s sentencing had been flawed and that it was time the case came to a close. “Enough is enough. What does the state want?” defence lawyer Barry Roux said. | Pistorius’s defence said it was an “insult” to suggest that the court’s sentencing had been flawed and that it was time the case came to a close. “Enough is enough. What does the state want?” defence lawyer Barry Roux said. |
| “This process has been exhausted beyond the point of exhaustion,” he added, accusing the prosecution of sending Pistorius “like a ping pong ball between courts”. | “This process has been exhausted beyond the point of exhaustion,” he added, accusing the prosecution of sending Pistorius “like a ping pong ball between courts”. |
| Pistorius, who pleaded not guilty at his trial in 2014, has always denied killing Steenkamp in a rage, saying he was trying to protect her. | Pistorius, who pleaded not guilty at his trial in 2014, has always denied killing Steenkamp in a rage, saying he was trying to protect her. |
| The year before he killed Steenkamp, Pistorius – known as “the Blade Runner” – became the first double-amputee to race at Olympic level when he appeared at the London 2012 Games. | The year before he killed Steenkamp, Pistorius – known as “the Blade Runner” – became the first double-amputee to race at Olympic level when he appeared at the London 2012 Games. |