Oscar Pistorius had his prison sentence increased by more than double on Friday to 13 years and five months by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal.
The former Paralympic and Olympic runner was initially sentenced to six years after he was convicted of the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Back on Valentine’s Day in 2013, Pistorius killed Steenkamp after firing four bullets from a closed toilet cubicle door in his home.
Pistorius, who is a double-amputee, claimed he believed his girlfriend was an intruder and fearing for his life he fired. Despite his claims, Pistorius was found guilty of manslaughter.
While the conviction was overturned and replaced with a murder conviction by South Africa's Supreme Court, prosecutors believed the six-year prison stint handed down by trial judge Thokozile Masipa was too lenient for the famed runner.
After prosecutors appealed the decision, on Friday, Supreme Court Justice Willie Seriti agreed that the sentence was “shockingly lenient" and increased original ruling. Seriti stated that Pistorius should have been sentenced to at least 15 years, which is the minimum punishment for murder in South Africa.
While Pistorius has already served nearly 18 months in prison and house arrest, he now must serve at least half of the new sentence before he's eligible for parole in 2023.
Source: usatoday.com
