On Thursday, the High Court of Pretoria, South Africa had declared embattled athlete Oscar Pistorius not guilty for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
Pistorius' trial verdict was read out by Judge Thokozile Masipa in front of a packed courthouse. The trial has been broadcasted by at least three local television stations towards a worldwide audience.
As quoted by Buzzfeed, Masipa explained that the "Blade Runner" could not be found guilty of dolus eventualis, or murder whereby he shot Steenkamp knowing that she would be most likely killed. She said, "How could the accused have reasonably foreseen the shot he fired would have killed the deceased? Clearly he did not subjectively foresee this, that he would have killed the person behind the door, let alone the deceased."
On the other hand, she said that Pistorius has done an unlawful act. Moreover, she said that the real question that she and her two assessors had pondered on is whether Pistorius has the intention to kill the person behind the toilet cubicle door and that the fact that it was the late model who was hiding behind the door was "irrelevant."
On the other hand, the Guardian said that based on reporters present at the court, there is still a chance for Masipa to find the athlete guilty of murder.
Masipa added in her reading, "The state clearly has not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of premeditated murder. There are just not enough facts to support such a finding."
The Wall Street Journal said that Masipa abruptly adjourned her reading of the decision until Friday, prolonging the agony no doubt of Pistorius and his family. Buzzfeed observed that the family were in obvious support of the defendant, and spotted the runner's brother, Carl, who, despite his injuries and was confined in a wheelchair, was present at court.
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