State denied leave to appeal Pistorius setencing
The state can still take the appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeals.
The application by South African state prosecutors to appeal against Oscar Pistorius’ six-year murder sentence has been dismissed.
Judge Thokozile Masipa said that the petition had “no reasonable prospect of success” after prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued that the sentence for murdering Reeva Steenkamp was “shockingly lenient and disturbingly inappropriate”.
Masipa had said there were mitigating factors for giving him less than half the minimum 15-year term for murder.
“I’m of the view that a long term of imprisonment will not serve justice,” Masipa said.
Nel argued that the sentence was flawed and should be appealed against.
The Guardian reported:
Pistorius’s defence said it was an “insult” to suggest that the court’s sentencing had been flawed and that it was time the case came to a close. “Enough is enough. What does the state want?” defence lawyer Barry Roux said.
The state may now appeal Masipa’s decision at the Supreme Court of Appeals.
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