The trial of double-amputee track star Oscar Pistorius is scheduled to wrap up tomorrow after nearly six months of testimony from 37 witnesses. The former Olympian has been charged with premeditated murder, firing a gun in an open space and illegally possessing ammunition in connection to the Valentine's Day 2013 murder of his then-girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.
While Oscar plead not guilty to the premeditated murder charge he does admit to killing Reeva, claiming that he believed her to be an intruder in his South African home. His defense team has spent months building a case around the notion that Oscar was terrified for his own life and rather than it being his first instinct to check on Reeva (who he claims to believe was asleep) he instead fired four fatal shots through the door of the bathroom off of his master bedroom. We now know that Reeva was on the other side of that door and suffered fatal injuries.
The judge handling this case, Thokozile Matilda Masipa, will ultimately determine Oscar's fate. She has the assistance of two legal advisers, but ultimately the decision will be Masipa's, who is known to be tough when it comes to handing out punishment. She once sentenced a robber that also raped 3 women to 252 years in prison and a police officer that killed his wife during a fight received a life sentence. No doubt it's previous cases like these that are making Oscar very nervous about his own fate.
If Oscar is convicted of the most serious charge then he could be facing a minimum of 25 years in prison or Judge Masipa could impose a lesser sentence due to the former athlete's person circumstances at the time of Reeva's death.
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