Oscar Pistorius has been found guilty of culpable homicide in the 2013 shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in court Friday in Pretoria, South Africa.


The verdict could carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, but Pistorius will have the right to appeal the verdict that indicates he was negligent.


Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled out a murder conviction for the double-amputee Olympian, premeditated or otherwise, in the shooting death of the 29-year-old Steenkamp.



Pistorius maintained he awoke in the early morning hours and believed an intruder was in the house when he fired the shots through the bathroom door, killing Steenkamp.


He was also found guilty in connection with a separate incident in which he discharged a gun in a crowded restaurant.


The 27-year-old became the first double amputee to compete in athletics at an Olympic Games in London in 2012. He has won six gold medals and eight medals overall at the Paralympics, dating back to 2004.


More to come



With files from The Associated Press