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| Oscar Pistorius 'has no money' says lawyer Barry Roux | Oscar Pistorius 'has no money' says lawyer Barry Roux |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius has heard that the South African athlete has no money left, as the closing legal arguments are heard. | |
| Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide last month after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, but was cleared of murder. | Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide last month after shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last year, but was cleared of murder. |
| Judge Thokozile Masipa is expected to deliver her sentence on Tuesday. | Judge Thokozile Masipa is expected to deliver her sentence on Tuesday. |
| He faces up to 15 years in jail, but the judge may choose a suspended sentence or impose a fine instead. | He faces up to 15 years in jail, but the judge may choose a suspended sentence or impose a fine instead. |
| The sentencing hearing, which began on Monday, has seen the prosecution push for the maximum custodial sentence. | The sentencing hearing, which began on Monday, has seen the prosecution push for the maximum custodial sentence. |
| Pistorius' defence team has argued for a lesser sentence, such as community service. | |
| They claimed that the athlete would be unsafe in prison, which was denied by the prisons chief on Thursday. | |
| 'Broke and broken' | |
| Pistorius sobbed as defence lawyer Barry Roux said that the athlete no longer had any money after the trial, which has lasted over seven months. | |
| "He is not only broke but he is broken," he said. | "He is not only broke but he is broken," he said. |
| "He's a first offender. What has happened to this man? He was on the rise," Mr Roux added. | "He's a first offender. What has happened to this man? He was on the rise," Mr Roux added. |
| The lawyer asked Judge Masipa to consider the South African principle of "ubuntu", roughly translated as kindness towards others, in her sentencing. | The lawyer asked Judge Masipa to consider the South African principle of "ubuntu", roughly translated as kindness towards others, in her sentencing. |
| On Friday, Prosecutor Gerrie Nel again criticised the offer of money by Pistorius to the Steenkamp family. | |
| "I cannot but think this is an attempt to influence" he said. | |
| Mr Nel also argued that a community-based sentence which involved Pistorius would be "shockingly disproportionate" to the crime committed. | |
| Reeva Steenkamp's family rejected a large lump sum offered by Pistorius, calling it "blood money". | |
| However, they did accept smaller monthly support payments. | |
| The Paralympic sprinter denied murdering Ms Steenkamp after a row on Valentine's Day last year, saying he shot her by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in the house. | The Paralympic sprinter denied murdering Ms Steenkamp after a row on Valentine's Day last year, saying he shot her by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in the house. |
| Ms Steenkamp, a model, reality TV star and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets shot through a toilet door by Pistorius at his home in the capital, Pretoria. | Ms Steenkamp, a model, reality TV star and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets shot through a toilet door by Pistorius at his home in the capital, Pretoria. |