'Blade Runner' Oscar Pistorius granted parole 10 years after killing girlfriend; release set for January

Known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, Oscar Pistorius' transition from a celebrated Paralympic champion to a convicted killer captured global attention a decade ago.

South Africa’s former Paralympic star, Oscar Pistorius, convicted in 2014 for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, is set to be released on parole on January 5, as confirmed by the department for correctional services during a recent hearing. 

Known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, Pistorius' transition from a celebrated Paralympic champion to a convicted killer captured global attention a decade ago. He fatally shot Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day in 2013.

Initially sentenced to five years in 2014 for culpable homicide, the supreme court of appeal in 2015 upgraded the conviction to murder. In 2016, Pistorius received a six-year jail term, which was criticized for being "shockingly lenient." In 2017, the supreme court increased the sentence to 13 years and five months.

Factors such as the nature of the crime, the risk of reoffending, prison conduct, physical and mental wellbeing, and potential threats upon release are considered in parole decisions. Pistorius was denied parole in March but became eligible in October when the constitutional court noted he had served half of his sentence by March 21, 2023, following a backdated calculation from July 2016 instead of November 2017.