Oscar Pistorius, an Olympic sprinter who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend in 2013, was released from prison on Friday on parole, after serving over seven years of his 13-year sentence.
Pistorius, 37, Health & Injuries CNN, Pistorius was not spotted leaving the prison facility in Pretoria, South Africa, but he will reportedly reside at his uncle’s house in the suburb of Waterkloof.
In 2015, Pistorius was found guilty of shooting his girlfriend, South African model Reeva Steenkamp, through a bathroom door in his home, killing her. Pistorius claimed that he thought she was an intruder and was initially convicted of manslaughter in 2014, but his sentencing was increased after a higher court upgraded the charge to murder.
Steenkamp’s mother released a statement on Friday morning. “There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back,” she said. “We, who remain behind, are the ones serving a life sentence.”
Pistorius, who was born with no fibulas and had both of his feet amputated as a child, is widely known as the “Blade Runner” because of the prosthetic legs he used in track and field competition. He won six gold medals in the Paralympics throughout his career, and in 2012, he became the first double-leg amputee to compete at the Olympics, making it to the semi-finals of the 400 meters and running a leg on the South African 4x400-meter relay.
Pistorius must remain in the Pretoria area for the duration of his parole, and according to the Department of Correctional Services, he must participate in rehabilitation programs and may not consume banned substances or alcohol.
Races & Places Runner’s World. He is a former all-conference collegiate runner who’s based in Easton, PA. Previously, he worked as the newsletters editor at Runner's World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics.
