South Africa's top appellate court finds Oscar Pistorius guilty of murder

South African prosecutors will appeal Pistorius verdict

(Image credit: Herman Verwey/Getty Images)

On Thursday, South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeals ruled that double-amputee Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius is guilty of murder rather than culpable homicide, as a lower court had ruled his killing of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013. "The accused ought to have been found guilty of murder," Justice Lorimer Eric Leach told the courtroom, speaking for the five-judge appellate court. Pistorius was released to house arrest in October, after serving one year of his five-year sentence. The trial court will now sentence him for murder, which carries a minimum of 15 years in prison, with leniency for certain exceptional circumstances.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.