Paralympic runner Oscar Pistorius' siblings have reportedly slammed the media coverage of the double amputee's trial on the eve of the athlete's sentencing, saying that the truth had been twisted and manipulated and sensationalized. mee and Carl Pistorius said that they were anxious about Tuesday's hearing.
Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide after shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead on Valentines Day last year, but has been cleared of murder. The prosecution has argued for a minimum 10-year jail sentence.
Aimee said that there was obviously a lot of anxiety ahead of the sentencing, and that the last 20 months had been very taxing. She added that she felt heartache for both her brother, her family and of course Steenkamp's family and her friends, The BBC reported
Aimee said that both families would struggle to move on. She also said that it is something that one never really gets closure on, adding that it's something that her brother would carry with him for the rest of his life.
Aimee said that it is important for them that Steenkamp's family know that she was very much cared for and loved, and accepted as part of their family in the short time that she was with them.
She said that Steenkamp had a wonderful charisma and zest for life that she just exuded and it was easy to just fall in love with her.
Aimee added that the truths had been twisted and manipulated, and things have been sensationalized. She said that it causes hurt when things are also reported as fact when they are not.
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Carl Pistorius said that the hardest part of the situation was all the negative media, polarized publicity, twisted truths and untruths, and how that infiltrates ones life regardless of whether they try to or try not to follow the media.
He said that it permeates the very atmosphere of everywhere one goes, including those that are close to the person. He added that he could not speculate on the outcome of the sentencing, but said that the next day would also be very difficult.
Pistorius, a Paralympic sprinter, denied murdering Steenkamp and said that he shot her by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in the house.
Steenkamp, a model, reality TV star and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets shot through a toilet door by Pistorius at his home in the capital, Pretoria, the report added.
Last month, Judge Thokozile Masipa cleared Pistorius of murder, but convicted him of culpable homicide, saying that he had been negligent.