Oscar Pistorius, disgraced South African sprinter, is released from prison on parole after killing his girlfriend

Disgraced Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius was released from a South African prison on parole Friday, nearly 11 years after the Valentine’s Day slaying of his girlfriend, officials said.

Pistorius, 37, left Atteridgeville Correctional Centre near Pretoria to begin his new life of supervised freedom, which will require him to get permission from authorities for many of the basic events of life.

The South African Department of Correctional Services said in a statement it was “able to confirm that Oscar Pistorius is a parolee, effectively from 5 January 2024. He was admitted into the system of Community Corrections and is now at home.”

The department did not provide any additional details of his release.

Pistorius had been behind bars since late 2014 for the shooting death of his girlfriend, model and law school graduate Reeva Steenkamp, 29, on Feb. 14, 2013.

In a statement, June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, said Pistorius’ release reaffirmed her faith in the South African justice system but added that the family had never come to terms with her death.

“Now, almost 11 years later, the pain is still raw and real, and my dear late husband Barry and I have never been able to come to terms with Reeva’s death, or the way she died.”

“There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back,” she said.

Steenkamp revealed in her statement that Pistorius’ release is subject to him attending “anger management courses and programs on gender-based violence.”