Oscar Pistorius now can count the days until he's a semi-free man. At least temporarily.
The extraordinary circumstances for the once-heroic "Blade Runner" continue, with the South African Correctional Supervision and Parole Board approving Pistorius for house arrest beginning Aug. 21, South Africa's eNCA.com is reporting.
Pistorius will have served 10 months of his five-year sentences on a culpable homicide charge in the shooting death of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day, 2013. Pistorius shot Steenkamp four times through a bathroom door in his home in Pretoria, South Africa, in the early morning hours.
The double-amputee Olympic sprinter claims he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder.
Oscar Pistorius intends to work with underprivileged kids upon release from prison
Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled Pistorius innocent of murder charges in September of 2014 before levying the culpable homicide charge (the equivalent of manslaughter) and sentenced him one month later to five years in prison.
Under South African law, prisoners are eligible for house arrest after serving one-sixth of their sentence, which Pistorius will have done in August.
Zach Modise, the commissioner of correctional services, told AFP that Pistorius will be given one hour of free time each day, before the restrictions are gradually eased, eNCA.com reported.
Steenkamp's parents, Barry and June, wrote a letter to the parole board asking it to consider denying Pistorius' house-arrest privilege.
"Our lives will never be the same as we live with the sadness of her death every day," the Steenkamps wrote. "Reeva had so much to offer this world and we were all robbed of her life when she was killed. As her family, we do not seek to avenge her death and we do not want Mr. Pistorius to suffer; that will not bring her back to us. However a person found guilty of a crime must be held accountable for their actions.
"Statistics show that our society is under continuous attack from criminals and murderers. Incarceration of 10 months for taking a life is simply not enough. We fear that this will not send out the proper message and serve as the deterrent it should."
The only silver lining for the Steenkamps is that prosecutors have been granted an appeal and will go before a five-member panel of judges to seek a murder conviction. A date for the appeal has not yet been set.
If convicted of murder, Pistorius faces a minimum of 15 years in prison.
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