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Oscar Pistorius released from prison, will be under house arrest

Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court in Pretoria on October 21, 2014 (AFP Photo/Mujahid Safodien)
Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court in Pretoria on October 21, 2014 (AFP Photo/Mujahid Safodien)

Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympian who was convicted of killing his girlfriend on Valentine's Day 2013, has been released from prison in South Africa.

Pistorius, 28, will serve the remaining four years of his five-year sentence under house arrest. He also will face further attempts by prosecutors to charge him with murder in the death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Pistorius killed Steenkamp by firing bullets through a closed bathroom door in February, 2013. His defense was that he believed there was an intruder in his home, and had no idea that Steenkamp was on the other side of the door. He was released from prison under South Africa's guidelines that allow non-dangerous prisoners to be freed upon serving about one-sixth of their sentence.

The house arrest will take place at the home of Pistorius' uncle in a wealthy section of Pretoria. Pistorius had spent much of the 2014 trial at that home.

Officials at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre made the surprising decision to release Pistorius a day before his scheduled Tuesday release, and at night, in an apparent attempt to avoid the crush of media and onlookers expected at the prison. Pistorius' case had drawn international interest because of his stature as both an Olympian and Paralympian.

Steenkamp's family has maintained that they wish to see justice served. Prosecutors, not done fighting, will take the case to South Africa's Supreme Court in November, hoping to secure murder charges against Pistorius. (South African law does not prohibit a conviction even if a defendent is found guilty of a different charge.) He was convicted In September 2014 of culpable homicide, the equivalent of manslaughter, and acquitted of the charge of murder.

Prosecutors will appeal the acquittal, suggesting that there is no way Pistorius could not have known what may have happened when he fired through the door. A murder conviction would carry a minimum sentence of 15 years.

For the remaining four years of his sentence, Pistorius will be subject to both psychological examinations and firearms restrictions. He could also serve some form of community service. "Oscar is keen to become involved in assisting children in whatever opportunity will present," said Rohan Kruger, one of Pistorius' defense team.

Pistorius had won fame for becoming the first amputee to compete in the Olympics, running in the 2012 London Games. His release does not preclude an eventual return to training and, perhaps, competition. South Africa's Olympic Committee has no restriction barring athletes with a criminal past from competing.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.

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