Oscar Pistorius, the South African Paralympic sprinter who made history as the first double amputee to compete in the London 2012 Olympics, was denied parole on Friday after he was convicted of killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine's Day 2013. Pistorius had initially been convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years in prison, however, in 2017 an appeals court overruled the initial sentence, determined that Pistorius was guilty of murder and increased his prison sentence to 13 years and five months.
Pistorius, known as the 'Blade Runner' for his prosthetic blades, had argued that Steenkamp's shooting was a tragic accident as he had mistaken her for an intruder. His lawyers argued that he had been rehabilitated and met the Department of Correctional Services policy and guidelines for parole. The parole board, however, rejected the appeal and determined that releasing Pistorius would pose a danger to the community.
Tania Koen, a lawyer for Steenkamp’s family, said that her loved ones were relieved that Pistorius would remain behind bars. Pistorius will again be up for parole in August 2024, but Steenkamp's parents oppose his early release. Pistorius met with Steenkamp’s father, Barry, last year as part of a program known as the victim-offender dialogue, which occurs before a prisoner can be considered for parole.