Oscar Pistorius sends 'distressing' letter to family of murdered ex Reeva Steenkamp in parole bid
In 2015, Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison. Now halfway through that sentence, he is eligible for parole and is looking to get out, but is facing significant challenges in doing so. In a bid to make amends, Pistorious reportedly sent a letter to the parents of his ex Reeva Steenkamp, but it didn't exactly go as planned. The parents, June and Barry Steenkamp have reportedly been left emotionally distressed, even though they knew this day would come.
Back in November 2020, the family acknowledged they had forgiven Pistorius, noting that "hating him wouldn't bring Reeva back." That came weeks after it was revealed the jailed athlete was desperate for forgiveness, reportedly having stopped exercising and "turned to God". Pistorius was jailed for shooting and killing Steenkamp through the locked bathroom door of his home, which he claimed because he thought she was an intruder.
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'Blade Runner' as he was famously known, failed to convince the court of his argument and was subsequently sent to jail. Over half a decade later, he's now eligible for bail under South African law but faces the huge task of convincing Steenkamp's parents he should be freed.
'Like ripping a band-aid off a wound'
Under South Africa's restorative justice policy, prisoners must "acknowledge and take responsibility for their actions". That mandate led him to write the letter to the Steenkamps, but it didn't exactly help his case. The family's lawyer told The Mirror, "I cannot divulge the contents of that letter. It was quite emotionally distressing for them. They did not know it was coming and it was sent to me by his attorney." The Sun reported that June and Barry described it as "like ripping a Band-Aid off a wound."
Reportedly, Pistorius has been eligible for parole since July 2021 and even had a hearing scheduled for October 2021, but it was canceled. The reason for the cancelation was the Steenkamps, who were told that he would not be released until March 2023. Under South Africa's victim-offender dialogue policy, the Steenkamps have the right to meet Pistorius before he is released. It is not mandatory, but the family has expressed their interest in doing so, and until they do, he reportedly won't be eligible for a parole hearing.
"Barry has said for years he wants to meet Oscar and he has questions to ask. They are not emotionally prepared, but are prepared to meet Oscar," the lawyer added. The issue at hand doesn't seem to be Pistorius' parole, but rather the way it was handled. "What was also very upsetting was the disregard for their emotional wellbeing. They had to find out the parole board had already convened a date for parole and never advised them about it," the lawyer noted.
It's unclear when the Steenkamps will meet with the Paralympian, but their lawyer has made it clear a face-to-face meeting was definitely on the cards. They also haven't indicated if they will support his release, or provide testimony at his parole hearing.