Oscar Pistorius Set for Parole in August

A parole board is set to recommend that athlete Oscar Pistorius, convicted of killing his girlfriend, be released from prison in August, South Africa’s Department of Correctional Services has said.

The 28-year-old athlete was sentenced in October to five years in prison for culpable homicide in the killing of Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013.

In South Africa, culpable homicide means a person was killed unintentionally but unlawfully.

Pistorius acknowledged firing shots through the bathroom door in his home, but said he thought there was an intruder in the bathroom rather than his girlfriend.

In his 2014 trial, a judge found Oscar Pistorius not guilty of murder, a ruling that the prosecutors appealed.

Pistorius became the first athlete with both legs amputated to participate in the Olympic games at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, running in the 400-meter race and the 4×400 meter relay.

Under South African law, Oscar Pistorius must serve at least one-sixth of his sentence – 10 months – before being released.

The parole board is prepared to recommend that he be released on August 21, 10 months to the day since his sentencing.