The sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius shockingly has turned its focus away from Pistorius and instead centered on the inexplicable decision of slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's parents to accept monthly payments from the double-amputee sprinter.
Annette Vergeer, a probation officer testifying for the defense, said that Pistorius made monthly payments of about $540 per month to the Steenkamps for what the New York Times reported went for rent and expenses that began in March of 2013 and continued through last month.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel tried to spin the information, saying that June and Barry Steenkamp rejected a lump-sum offer from Pistorius of $33,000, calling Pistorius' gesture "blood money."
Judge Thokozile Masipa is expected to announce sentencing for Pistorius, who shot and killed Steenkamp through a bathroom door at their home in the early morning hours of Valentine's Day, 2013, on Friday, the Times reported.
Oscar Pistorius' disability to keep him out of prison?
It still hasn't been cleared up whether 15 years is the maximum sentence for a culpable homicide charge, as most media outlets have reported. A legal expert who spoke to the Pretoria Times anonymously, said those reports were in error and that no guidelines existed.
Dup de Bruyn, a lawyer for the Steenkamps, told the reporters that the couple's rationale for accepting the money was that they would offset the total from the monthly payments against a civil claim for damages. In other words, any settlement from a civil claim would have the amount Pistorius already paid to them deducted from the total.
De Bruyn said his team of lawyers originated the idea of a lump-sum payment to the Steenkamps - without the family's knowledge - that Reeva's parents ultimately rejected.
The Guardian reported that Kim Martin, Reeva Steenkamp's cousin, testified that Barry Steenkamp told her he'd love to testify but "He would just lose it" if he were to get on the stand.
Whether the Steenkamps were instructed not to testify - or file a civil suit claim, which they said they will not do after receiving money from Pistorius - because their lawyers are afraid of the questioning behind the rationale of the Steenkamps accepting any money from Pistorius for the shooting death has not been reported.
Nel said the Steenkamps had promised to repay the monthly stipend, as if that deed would erase the fact that they accepted money in the first place.
Barry Roux, Pistorius' lawyer, said that Pistorius originally offered the money unconditionally and did not want repayment.
Regardless, the revelation could be a big boost to the defense in trying to keep Pistorius out of jail.
Should the Steenkamps have to answer why they chose to accept money from their daughter's killer? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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