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Pistorius Should Serve 3 Years' House Arrest, Prison Official Says

June Steenkamp (left), mother of Oscar Pistorius' slain girlfriend, Reva Steenkamp, leaves the Pretoria High Court after Monday's sentencing hearing for the South African athlete. A prison official recommended house arrest for Pistorius.
Stefan Heunis
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AFP/Getty Images
June Steenkamp (left), mother of Oscar Pistorius' slain girlfriend, Reva Steenkamp, leaves the Pretoria High Court after Monday's sentencing hearing for the South African athlete. A prison official recommended house arrest for Pistorius.

At a sentencing hearing for Oscar Pistorius, a court-appointed prison social worker says the South African athlete's punishment for culpable homicide should include three years of house arrest.

Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in his home last year. The former Olympian was found not guilty of murder last month.

From Pretoria, reporter Nastasya Tay filed this story for our Newscast unit:

"Correctional services officer Joel Maringa says the sentence Oscar Pistorius should receive would be three years of house arrest with strict monitoring — no guns, no drugs, no alcohol — and the attendance of support programs, along with 16 hours of community service a month, likely cleaning a local museum or hospital, to compensate society 'for the wrong he has done.'

"Steenkamp's parents looked stricken as Maringa read from his report. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel was incredulous, calling it 'shockingly inappropriate.'

"But ultimately, it is the judge who will decide, likely later this week, after hearing arguments from both sides."

Speaking at today's hearing, Pistorius' therapist described him as being traumatized by Steenkamp's death, describing signs of post-traumatic stress during their sessions.

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Bill Chappell is a writer and editor on the News Desk in the heart of NPR's newsroom in Washington, D.C.