Father of Oscar Pistorius' victim begs court: He 'must pay for killing my daughter'

Oscar Pistorius
(Image credit: Charlie Shoemaker/Getty Images)

Oscar Pistorius "must pay for killing my daughter," Reeva Steenkamp's father, Barry Steenkamp, begged a judge in tears on Tuesday. The sentencing hearing of the South African double-amputee Olympic athlete, which is expected to conclude on Friday, will decide if Pistorius will face a jail term of 15 years after firing through a locked bathroom door on Valentine's Day and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in 2013.

Pistorius has claimed that he believed an intruder was in the house when he fired through the door, and was first jailed for manslaughter. However, others, such as Steenkamp's father, believe the couple had been arguing. Following an appeal by the prosecution, Pistorius' conviction was changed to murder late last year.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.