Oscar Pistorius could face up to a decade in prison, or walk out of the courtroom with only a fine to pay for the killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day.
South African judge Thokozile Masipa has a great deal of scope in deciding the sentence after several days of legal arguments and testimony that began on Monday morning.
Last month she convicted the double-amputee runner of culpable homicide, or negligent killing. Sentences for such a crime can range from a suspended sentence and a fine to as many as 15 years in prison. Sentences for culpable homicide — negligent killing — can range from a suspended sentence and a fine to an unlimited number of years in prison, but in practice around 10 years.
Pistorius, once a celebrated athlete who ran in the 2012 Olympics, was charged with premeditated murder but Masipa instead found him guilty of the lesser charge.
South African lawyers vary widely in predictions about what kind of sentence Pistorius will get. Some say he is unlikely to go to jail because defence lawyers will successfully argue that the athlete is a first-time offender with a disability that would subject him to particular hardship in prison, while others anticipate that Pistorius will be sentenced to some prison time because of the severity of his crime.
Here are four scenarios which could happen this week:
Possible sentences for Pistorius
Pistorius could serve 10 years in prison(01 of04)
Open Image ModalSouth African hip hop star Molemo Maarohanye, knownas Jub Jub, and his co-accused Themba Tshabalala were found guilty of culpable homicide while dragracing when his car ploughed into a group of schoolchildren. He was given a 10 year sentence, so their is precedence for Pistorius to serve a long term in prison. And a taxi driver's murder conviction was also reduced to culpable homicide last year, cutting his prison time to eight years instead of 20. The driver's car had hit a train, and 10 children died in the accident. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Pistorius could receive a suspended, or part-suspeded sentence(02 of04)
Open Image ModalMuch of the South African media has predicted that the athlete will get a suspended sentence, which will mean he will not go to prison, unless he commits another misdemeanor. Pistorius is a first-time offender, with a good character record as an athlete and philanthropist, and has shown a great deal of remorse for killing Steenkamp (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Pistorius could receive a non-custodial sentence(03 of04)
Open Image ModalPistorius has been positioning himself as someone willing to do time in the community, which such a sentence could entail. A non-custodial sentence could be wide-ranging, including restrictions on his movement and community service. In the opening of the sentencing, Pistorius' psychiatrist said the athlete wanted to work in a school associated with his uncle in Mozambique, and no longer pursue a career in athletics. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
He could be fined, and released(04 of04)
Open Image ModalThe judge may consider Pistorius to be no danger to the wider public and highly unlikely to re-offend, given his remorse and his diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder. South African prisons are painfully overcrowded and Pistorus' defence has argued that he would suffer greatly in prison where his prosthetic legs would have to be removed due to prison protocol. He might be given a hefty fine and sent on his way. This has precedent too, Bryce Moon, an ex-South African footballer was fined just over £3000 for killing a domestic worker Mavis Ncube by knocking her down with his car. (credit:Christopher Furlong via Getty Images)