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Popularly known as “The Blade Runner,” Pistorius shot to world fame at the 2012 Olympics before the murder trial that ended his career a year later.
South African Paralympic champion Oscar Pistorius has been paroled after seeking early release from prison, a decade after he shot and killed his girlfriend, lawyers say.
“We were told at this point that it has been denied and will be considered again in a year’s time,” Tania Koen, a lawyer for the victim’s family, said on Friday.
The Department of Correctional Services said Pistorius had not completed the minimum period of detention required for parole.
Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp, a model, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013, shooting four times through the bathroom door of the house where the duo lived in Pretoria.
Known worldwide as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon fiber prostheses, he was sentenced to six years in prison in 2016. The sentence was increased to 13 years after prosecutors appealed, arguing that the initial sentence was too lenient.
He had pleaded not guilty and denied killing Steenkamp in a rage, saying he mistook her for a burglar.
Friday’s parole hearing took place at a prison on the outskirts of the capital where the 36-year-old is being held.
Prisoners in South Africa are automatically eligible for parole after serving half their sentence. Pistorius has served more than half, having begun his term in 2014.
This is an evolving story. More details to follow.