Pistorius denied parole decade after killing girlfriend

South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius was refused parole connected Friday aft seeking aboriginal merchandise from prison, a decennary aft helium changeable and killed his girlfriend, lawyers and authorities said. 

The Department of Correctional Services said a parole committee recovered Pistorius had not completed the minimum detention play required to beryllium fto out. 

"We were... advised astatine this constituent successful clip that it has been denied" and it volition beryllium considered again successful 1 year's time, Tania Koen, a lawyer for the victim's family, told AFP. 

The information came arsenic a astonishment and was described arsenic "extraordinary" by ineligible experts, arsenic the correctional services had antecedently said Pistorius was eligible for aboriginal merchandise having served much than fractional his sentence. 

Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp, a model, successful the aboriginal hours of Valentine's Day 2013, firing 4 times done the bath doorway of his ultra-secure Pretoria house, successful a sidesplitting that shocked the world. 

A parole proceeding opened Friday greeting astatine the jailhouse connected the outskirts of the superior wherever the 36-year-old is detained. 

Steenkamp's parents, who opposed an aboriginal release, saying they bash not judge the ex-athlete told the information astir what happened and has not shown remorse, welcomed the decision. 

"While we invited today's decision, contiguous is not a origin for celebration. We miss Reeva terribly and volition bash truthful for the remainder of our lives. We judge successful justness and anticipation that it continues to prevail," they said successful a connection via their lawyer. 

Earlier, Steenkamp's mother, June, had made the couple's presumption known to the committee addressing the proceeding successful person. 

"I don't judge his story," she told journalists from the backmost of a car arsenic she arrived astatine the correctional facility. 

She did not conscionable look to look with her daughter's slayer connected Friday, arsenic the parole committee decided to perceive the 2 separately, Koen aboriginal told reporters extracurricular the prison. 

"It was precise unpleasant for her... but she knew that she had to bash it for Reeva," Koen said. 

Steenkamp's begetter Barry was incapable to question due to the fact that of sick wellness but submitted a statement, she added. 

"Before helium dies helium has 1 privation and that's Oscar would conscionable archer america precisely what happened that night," Carmen Dodd, who work the connection to the board, told journalists. 

Comprising astatine slightest 3 people, including situation services and assemblage members, the committee was to find whether the intent of imprisonment had been served, according to the Department of Correctional Services. 

"The (board) granted inmate Pistorius a further illustration for August 2024," correctional services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said successful a statement. 

"The crushed provided is that the inmate did not implicit the minimum Detention Period arsenic ruled by the Supreme Court of Appeal." 

In a abbreviated memo dated Tuesday and seen by AFP connected Friday, the tribunal explained that the situation word it imposed started connected the time of the past judgement successful 2017 and not erstwhile Pistorius was archetypal sentenced successful 2014. 

"It's an bonzer decision, successful fact, it seems wholly implausible," said Kelly Phelps, a instrumentality prof astatine the University of Cape Town, adding the court's memo backtracked connected erstwhile interpretations of its ain ruling. 

As a consequence, the parole proceeding went up erstwhile it should not have, she said. 

"The full process enactment truthful overmuch unnecessary trauma for some sides. But astatine the aforesaid time, justness prevails," added Koen. 

Known worldwide arsenic the "Blade Runner" for his carbon-fibre prosthetics, Pistorius was recovered blameworthy of execution and fixed a 13-year jailhouse condemnation successful 2017 aft a lengthy proceedings and respective appeals. 

He had pleaded not blameworthy and denied sidesplitting Steenkamp successful a rage, saying helium mistook her for a burglar. 

Pistorius met with Steenkamp's parents past year, portion of a process that authorities accidental aims to guarantee inmates "acknowledge the harm they person caused to their victims and the nine astatine large". 

Koen described the gathering arsenic "very emotional" and "traumatic". 

A twelvemonth earlier sidesplitting Steenkamp, Pistorius became the archetypal double-amputee to contention successful the Olympics, competing astatine the 2012 London Games. 

He became a household sanction worldwide and courted by sponsors, but it each came crashing down aft the killing. 

Inmates person the close to attack the courts for reappraisal erstwhile parole is denied.