International
Phil Magakoe, Pool / AP
South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius was cleared of murder Thursday but still awaits a ruling on culpable homicide over the shooting death of his girlfriend at the couple’s home last year.
In a ruling announced in Pretoria, Judge Thokozile Masipa said the 27-year-old amputee athlete could not have foreseen he would kill the person behind the door, 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp, on Feb. 14, 2013.
But Masipa said the Olympian was negligent in the incident, raising the possibility that Pistorius may be convicted of culpable homicide. A formal judgment on that charge is expected on Friday.
The half-year trial has fed intense media interest worldwide, with live broadcasts being carried by 24-hour news media at key points during the testimony.
Nearly 40 witnesses testified, including Pistorius, who broke down, weeping at times and vomiting as he heard a pathologist describe how Steenkamp's head "exploded" like a watermelon under the impact of his hollow-point bullet.
Prosecutors described the double amputee as an egotistical liar obsessed with guns, fast cars and beautiful women who was not prepared to take responsibility for his actions.
Defense lawyers sought to explain there are "two Oscars": a world-class athlete and a highly vulnerable individual with a serious disability who acted out of fear, not anger, when he fired the fatal shots.
The sprinter does not deny that he killed Steenkamp but said that he thought he was shooting at an intruder and that Steenkamp was safely in bed.
The prosecution said he killed her in a fit of rage after an argument.
Pistorius faced 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.
With that outcome now dismissed, he could still face years in jail if found guilty of murder without planning or of negligent killing. Pistorius could be acquitted if Masipa believes he made a tragic error.
Once a poster boy for disabled sport, Pistorius has been stripped of lucrative endorsement deals by global brands and has withdrawn from all competition.
Al Jazeera and wire services
The sprinter underwent a court-ordered evaluation in the past month after a psychiatrist said he had an anxiety disorder
Coverage of the trial transforms the media landscape and distracts from key election but also fuels important dialogue
Trial date for the death of the South African sprinter’s girlfriend is set for March 3
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