Newsweek
The South African Olympian fatally shot his girlfriend, Reva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day 2013 and was convicted of murder in 2015.
South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius, who fatally shot his girlfriend in 2013, is up for parole but must meet with her parents before he is considered for early release, the Associated Press reported Monday.
Pistorius, a double-amputee who competed at the 2012 Olympics, was convicted in 2015 of murder after shooting Reva Steenkamp, a model, multiple times through a bathroom door in his home on Valentine’s Day 2013. Pistorius was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison, and became eligible for parole after serving half his sentence under South African law.
Barry and June Steenkamp, Reva’s parents, want a face-to-face meeting with Pistorius, as is their right under South Africa’s victim-offender dialogue policy. The Steenkamps have said they want to question Pistorius on why he shot their daughter.
“They [Barry and June] feel that Reeva has got a voice. They are Reeva’s voice, and they owe it to their beloved daughter,” said Tania Koen, the Steenkamps’ lawyer.
The opinion of victims’ families is considered when deciding whether to release an offender, but it’s not the only criteria the parole board bases the decision on.
A parole hearing for Pistorius was…
