A friend of the former Paralympian athlete has told the media Oscar Pistorius is terrified to return to jail.
After the South African Supreme Court overturned the previous conviction of culpable homicide and amended the charge to murder, Oscar Pistorius will have to return behind bars and he is allegedly terrified.
The court still has to decide whether Pistorius should receive bail or return to prison until his resentencing, which is expected to happen early in the New Year.
The Daily Mail had an exclusive interview this week with a close friend of Pistorius, boxer Kevin Lerena, who apparently had a phone call from Oscar this week. Reportedly, the former Paralympian athlete broke down during the call saying, “I don’t want to go back to jail. It’s a terrible place, so disgusting you can’t imagine.”
As he tells a friend he is ‘terrified’ of returning to prison https://t.co/LfD484WyLH
— thezimbabwean (@TheZimbabwean) December 5, 2015
The Inquisitr reported recently on the tour the media was given of Oscar Pistorius’ former prison cell in the hospital wing of the Kgosi Mampuru II correctional center. By all appearances — and bearing in mind the prison is in Africa — that prison cell didn’t really seem all that bad; but, in the long term, prison is challenging for an able-bodied person. Pistorius, as a double amputee, is far from being able-bodied.
Lerena, 23, was called by the State to give evidence against his friend during the murder trial and has kept in touch since, despite the fact that Pistorius feels he betrayed him.
Lerena told the Daily Mail that Pistorius was depressed and had lost all interest in training and women. He suggested that he actually fears for Pistorius’ life after his previous short stint in jail left him “so low and without anything to live for.” Lerena fears that Oscar may actually “do something stupid” to avoid going back behind bars.
The Independent Online quotes Lorena as saying the following about Pistorius.
“He has been left so down and broken by just one year inside, I don’t even want to think about what is going to happen to him if he goes back. I don’t think he will be able to handle it. He just seems to have given up on life.”
While he knows they don’t have anything available in jail to use to harm themselves, he said, “but, you know, this is South Africa, and you can buy stuff you want, even in jail.”
While Oscar Pistorius is terrified at the prospect of returning behind bars for the killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steinkamp, on Valentine’s Day in 2013, the new verdict has, at least, meant justice to Reeva’s parents, June and Barry Steenkamp.
June Steenkamp attended the court proceedings in Bloemfontein Thursday, while her husband stayed at their home in Port Elizabeth. Reportedly none of Pistorius’ family were present during the court session.
As reported by Sky News , June Steenkamp said she was “overwhelmed emotionally” when the ruling was made, but she does believe it is the right verdict. She said the whole point was he (Oscar Pistorius) did use those bullets, “which are devastating, they crush your body inside.” She said anyone who picks up and uses a gun like that can only know someone is going to die.
“ It’s justice for Reeva , and for all… the abused women and children that suffer.”
She continued by saying Pistorius has ruined his life but while the court verdict is correct, she did say there is no winner here.
“My daughter’s dead, our family is devastated living without her, and his family is devastated. And he is responsible for that.”
Reportedly the court dates are still to be set, but the NPA has said it will happen as soon as possible in the New Year. Reportedly setting the court date depends on the schedule of the high court itself and sentencing will specifically depend on the availability of Trial Judge Thokozile Masipa.
Oscar Pistorius: ‘I don’t want to go back to jail. It’s terrible, so disgusting you can’t imagine’ https://t.co/xISjfAWSYE
— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) December 4, 2015
According to acting Judge Francois Botes, now the Supreme Court of Appeal has overturned Masipa’s verdict, she has no choice but to send him to jail for several years.
In the meantime it is clear that Pistorius will have to return to prison until sentencing finally happens. Reportedly the starting point for a jail sentence for murder on the doctrine of dolus eventualis is 15 years. However due to the compelling and substantial circumstances surrounding the former Paralympian, legal experts believe Oscar Pistorius will receive a lesser sentence.
[Photo by Alon Skuy/The Times/Gallo Images/Getty Images]