Oscar Pistorius Released From Prison A Night Early To Avoid Media, Put Under House Arrest

Oscar Pistorius may have left the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre, but he is still considered under arrest. USA Today reported on October 19 that Pistorius was released from the shackles of prison to be put under house arrest. Pistorius is now said to be serving the remainder of his five-year sentence at the home of Arnold Pistorius, his uncle, in Waterkloof, South Africa. Pistorius was sentenced to five years for killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

As detailed in the Guardian, although the release of Oscar Pistorius was not expected until Tuesday morning, the former athlete was released late Monday night and was already at his uncle’s house. As of Tuesday, Pistorius is to serve out the rest of his full sentence until 2019 at his uncle’s residence, although there is an appeal in process by prosecutors seeking to return him to the confines of prison.

On August 17, 2015, an appeal was filed by prosecutors to have him convicted of murder. A murder conviction could return Pistorius to prison to serve at least 15 years for a murder sentence. The appeal is slated to be heard on November 3.

Oscar Pistorius was originally scheduled for release from prison on August 20 after only 10 months behind bars, but this was denied after a public outroar. The original August date was set by a parole board in June. A second parole hearing just a week ago allowed for Oscar to be released to house arrest on October 20. The one-day early release decision was made by prison management in order to keep media from turning the planned Tuesday morning release into a crazed spectacle.

A statement was made by Manelisi Wolela, a representative for the Department of Correctional Services, regarding the Pistorius release.

“Oscar Pistorius was placed under correctional supervision tonight. The handling of the actual placement is an operational matter of the local management, and how they handle it is their prerogative that is carried out in the best interest of all parties concerned, the victims, the offender and the department of correctional services.”

Pistorius was well known for his abilities as an Olympic sprinter with the disability of being a double-amputee. Using special blade-like prosthetic limbs to run, Oscar Pistorius had become well known as the “Blade Runner.” In 2012, at the age of 25, Pistorius competed against fellow runners without any disabilities in the Summer Olympics being held in London.

Pistorius admitted to shooting Steenkamp but pleaded not guilty to murder giving the excuse that he thought Reeva was an intruder in his bathroom. Oscar shot through the closed bathroom door four times. Three of the bullets hit Steenkamp, who was inside the bathroom. In 2014, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled that Pistorius should be convicted of culpable homicide and handed him the five-year maximum prison sentence.

Due to Pistorius’ disability, he was serving his sentence in the prison hospital ward, according to an August 17, 2015, report in the Guardian. The original August release date was granted due to the South African guidelines allowing for non-dangerous prisoners to be discharged after one-sixth of a custodial sentence behind bars has been served.

Reeva Steenkamp was becoming well known herself as a beautiful 29-year-old model with a law degree who had plans of becoming a legal advocate, as detailed in the Week on October 27, 2014. The stunning Steenkamp was also a reality TV star, starring in Tropika Island of Treasure, in which her last episode aired posthumously. She had also become the South African face of Avon. Reeva’s life ended only three months after they had begun dating on that fateful Valentine’s Day by the man who was supposed to have loved her, Oscar Pistorius.

[Featured image by pool/ Getty Images]