Oscar Pistorius found guilty of culpable homicide

Judge says athlete acted too hastily and used excessive force when he shot into toilet cubicle, killing Reeva Steenkamp 

The Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of culpable homicide for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

In 2012, Oscar Pistorius made history by becoming the first double amputee to run in the Olympic Games

The guilty verdict on the manslaughter charge, a day after the judge Thokozile Masipa cleared him of murder, means Pistorius could receive anything from 15 years in prison to a suspended sentence, which would potentially allow the double amputee a chance to resurrect his sporting career. The court will resume for sentencing at a later date.

Masipa ordered Pistorius to stand as she delivered the guilty verdict. He stood ramrod with his hands folded in front of him.

After the verdict, he turned to his family while members of Steenkamp's family comforted each other.


Judge Thokozile Masipa said the athlete acted "negligently" when he fired shots through a toilet door but in the "belief that there was an intruder".

She said the state had failed to prove he intended to kill Reeva Steenkamp.


The athlete and Reeva Steenkamp had been dating for three months before the fatal shooting

He was also found guilty on a charge of negligently handling a firearm that went off in a restaurant.

The double amputee had denied murdering Ms Steenkamp after a row on Valentine's Day last year, saying he shot her by mistake.

With this the judge agreed, saying "it cannot be said that the accused did not entertain a genuine belief that there was an intruder".

But she said: "The accused knew there was a person behind the toilet door, he chose to use a firearm.

"I am of the view the accused acted too hastily and used too much force. It is clear his conduct is negligent."

Pistorius was convicted on an unrelated firearms charge - negligently handling a firearm that went off in a crowded restaurant.

Pistorius had to push his way through a scrum of journalists as he arrived at court on Friday

Photo of the scene after the shooting

A bloodied Oscar Pistorius was pictured in the aftermath of the shooting

He was acquitted of another charge of firing a gun in public, through the sunroof of a car, and of a charge of illegal possession of ammunition in the home where he killed Ms Steenkamp.