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| Payments by Oscar Pistorius Take Center Stage at Sentencing Hearing | Payments by Oscar Pistorius Take Center Stage at Sentencing Hearing |
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| LONDON — Oscar Pistorius, the South African track star convicted of killing his girlfriend, returned to court on Wednesday for a third day of sentencing hearings that were overshadowed by disclosures about payments he made to the victim’s family. | LONDON — Oscar Pistorius, the South African track star convicted of killing his girlfriend, returned to court on Wednesday for a third day of sentencing hearings that were overshadowed by disclosures about payments he made to the victim’s family. |
| News of the transactions emerged Tuesday when a probation officer testifying for the defense, Annette Vergeer, disclosed that Mr. Pistorius had been making monthly payments to the family of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, after he shot her to death in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013. | News of the transactions emerged Tuesday when a probation officer testifying for the defense, Annette Vergeer, disclosed that Mr. Pistorius had been making monthly payments to the family of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, after he shot her to death in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013. |
| But the prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, said that Ms. Steenkamp’s mother and father, June and Barry, had rejected a lump-sum payment equivalent to $33,000 from the sale of an automobile as “blood money” and had promised to repay the monthly stipend. | |
| Dup de Bruyn, a lawyer acting on behalf of the Steenkamps, told reporters on Wednesday that the payments of roughly $550 per month for their “rent and expenses” began when the family found itself facing “financial difficulties” in March 2013, and that they continued until last month. | Dup de Bruyn, a lawyer acting on behalf of the Steenkamps, told reporters on Wednesday that the payments of roughly $550 per month for their “rent and expenses” began when the family found itself facing “financial difficulties” in March 2013, and that they continued until last month. |
| Mr. Pistorius had requested that the payments remain confidential, the lawyer said. It had always been the Steenkamps’ intention to offset the monthly payments against a civil claim for damages, Mr. de Bruyn said, but the family decided to repay the money after choosing not to pursue a civil claim. | Mr. Pistorius had requested that the payments remain confidential, the lawyer said. It had always been the Steenkamps’ intention to offset the monthly payments against a civil claim for damages, Mr. de Bruyn said, but the family decided to repay the money after choosing not to pursue a civil claim. |
| At the same time, he said, the family’s lawyers approached Mr. Pistorius about a lump sum without the Steenkamps’ knowledge. The family was no longer in the same financial position, Mr. de Bruyn said, because he had “made some deals” for them. He did not elaborate. | At the same time, he said, the family’s lawyers approached Mr. Pistorius about a lump sum without the Steenkamps’ knowledge. The family was no longer in the same financial position, Mr. de Bruyn said, because he had “made some deals” for them. He did not elaborate. |
| Barry Roux, Mr. Pistorius’s lead defense lawyer, said in court on Wednesday that the money from the sale of the automobile had been placed in a trust in case the Steenkamps wanted the funds at a later date. | Barry Roux, Mr. Pistorius’s lead defense lawyer, said in court on Wednesday that the money from the sale of the automobile had been placed in a trust in case the Steenkamps wanted the funds at a later date. |
| Mr. Pistorius had paid the monthly amounts to the family unconditionally and did not seek repayment, Mr. Roux said. But the family “decided, for various reasons, that they did not want any payment from Mr. Pistorius,” he said, reading from a statement initially put out by the Steenkamp family. | Mr. Pistorius had paid the monthly amounts to the family unconditionally and did not seek repayment, Mr. Roux said. But the family “decided, for various reasons, that they did not want any payment from Mr. Pistorius,” he said, reading from a statement initially put out by the Steenkamp family. |
| Ms. Vergeer returned to the witness stand on Wednesday, where she was the subject of close and sometimes aggressive questioning from Mr. Nel about her knowledge of South African prison conditions after she said Tuesday that incarceration would “break” Mr. Pistorius. She had recommended that Mr. Pistorius be sentenced to house arrest. | Ms. Vergeer returned to the witness stand on Wednesday, where she was the subject of close and sometimes aggressive questioning from Mr. Nel about her knowledge of South African prison conditions after she said Tuesday that incarceration would “break” Mr. Pistorius. She had recommended that Mr. Pistorius be sentenced to house arrest. |
| After a trial that started in March, Mr. Pistorius was found guilty last month of culpable homicide — equivalent to manslaughter — but was acquitted of more serious murder charges. In his defense, he said he shot Ms. Steenkamp by mistake in the belief that an intruder had entered his home. | After a trial that started in March, Mr. Pistorius was found guilty last month of culpable homicide — equivalent to manslaughter — but was acquitted of more serious murder charges. In his defense, he said he shot Ms. Steenkamp by mistake in the belief that an intruder had entered his home. |
| The prosecution accused Mr. Pistorius of deliberately killing Ms. Steenkamp after an argument. Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa has discretion over sentencing, which, for culpable homicide, can range from a fine to 15 years in prison. | |
| News reports said that the judge might hand down a sentence on Friday. As the hearings unfolded on Wednesday, Mr. Nel said he would call “three or four” witnesses to support his argument that Mr. Pistorius should be sent to prison. | News reports said that the judge might hand down a sentence on Friday. As the hearings unfolded on Wednesday, Mr. Nel said he would call “three or four” witnesses to support his argument that Mr. Pistorius should be sent to prison. |
| But he asked for an early adjournment until Thursday morning after the first witness he called — Kim Martin, a cousin of the victim — testified tearfully about what she described as Ms. Steenkamp’s loving nature and her parents’ enduring financial difficulties. | But he asked for an early adjournment until Thursday morning after the first witness he called — Kim Martin, a cousin of the victim — testified tearfully about what she described as Ms. Steenkamp’s loving nature and her parents’ enduring financial difficulties. |
| Offering a clear indication of her timetable for the sentencing hearing, Judge Masipa said she was committed to other business after this week. | Offering a clear indication of her timetable for the sentencing hearing, Judge Masipa said she was committed to other business after this week. |