Olympic runner receives parole a decade after killing girlfriend

The South African Department of Corrections on Friday granted parole to double amputee Oscar Pistorius, an Olympic athlete nicknamed “Blade Runner” for his prosthetics. Ten years ago, he shot his girlfriend to death at their South African home. Pistorius is set to be released on Jan. 5. His parole will include conditions such as an anger management program and community service. Pistorius’ parole and its conditions will be in place for the next five years, the Department of Corrections said.

Why did Pistorius kill his girlfriend? Pistorius testified at his trial that he killed model Reeva Steenkamp by mistake, believing her to be an intruder hiding in his bathroom when he shot her through the door. Prosecutors argued that Pistorius killed her in rage during a late-night argument. A court initially convicted Pistorius of culpable homicide, a charge similar to manslaughter, before prosecutors overturned that conviction. He was then charged and convicted of murder. 

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read about the original sentencing of Pistorius.