Warning: The following article details a murder. Please read with caution.
Once upon a time Oscar Pistorius was an internationally renowned inspirational figure. He was born with a congenital defect that resulted in the amputation of both of his feet at just 11 months. He overcame that to become a world-class athlete, with his prostheses giving him the nickname “the Blade Runner.”
Pistorius racked up a series of impressive athletic achievements, including competing with non-disabled athletes at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Along the way, he scored a series of lucrative sponsorships, all helped by his good looks and smart media management.
Then, on Valentine’s Day 2013, it all came crashing down.
The death of Reeva Steenkamp
Pistorius had been dating model and TV presenter Reeva Steenkamp for only a few months by February 2013. In the early hours of Feb. 14 he killed her by shooting her three times through a bathroom door.
Pistorius’ version of events is that he was having trouble sleeping late at night and heard an unexpected sound coming from the bathroom. He concluded that someone must have broken into his house, claims to have yelled a warning, and then fired shots at the door. Pistorius says he then yelled for Steenkamp to call the police, only to discover that he’d shot her. In court Pistorius’ legal team argued self-defense and that he’d made “a reasonable mistake.”
The prosecution’s case was quite different. They argued that the crime was premeditated and that Pistorius had deliberately murdered her, backing up their story with witnesses who testified they heard an argument and a woman screaming before the shots were fired.
On Sep. 12 Pistorius was found guilty of culpable homicide, a lesser charge that reflects the defendant did not have the intention to kill. He was sentenced to five years behind bars.
In prison
As soon as June 2015 Pistorius was being considered for early release under “correctional supervision,” to the horror of Steenkamp’s family. He was eventually released from prison on Oct. 19 2015. He didn’t enjoy his freedom for very long.
Under protest of overly lenient sentencing the Supreme Court of Appeals overturned the culpable homicide conviction and found him guilty of murder. He was promptly sentenced to six years in prison, which was then extended to 13 years after a Nov. 2017 appeal. That sentence came with the possibility of an early parole in 2023, which brings us to where we are now.
His release
Pistorius applied for parole earlier this year, but was denied after the board ruled he hadn’t completed the minimum detention period. Further arguments and appeals followed relating to the chaotic nature of when his murder sentence actually began.
Now his parole has been granted and he’s on the verge of freedom, as South African authorities have said he’ll be released on Jan. 5, 2024.
Life after prison
What comes next for Pistorius is unclear. He is now 37 and would be long past his athletic peak even if he’d continued his career uninterrupted — and in any event, we doubt fellow athletes would want to compete against a convicted murderer.
In addition, his wealth is now long gone. In October 2014 his lawyers submitted that he was “broke” and could no longer cover his own legal costs. Almost a decade later we doubt there are any money or assets left in his name, though it’s vaguely possible his family may have squirreled away some of his athletic money prior to his conviction.
However, media interest in the case remains high, so a bidding war will likely commence for the rights to an exclusive interview about the murder and his experiences behind bars. Once that’s exhausted we’re not sure what comes afterwards, as any attempt to make money of his story will inevitably be seen as cashing in on the death of Reeva Steenkamp.
But, let’s be extra cynical for a moment and assume the very worst about TV media. Could we see Pistorius as a reality TV show contestant? Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on The Masked Singer…