Oscar Pistorius removes prosthetic legs during hearing for 2013 murder

Oscar Pistorius’ story is continuing to unfold as the former track star stands in court waiting to hear the outcome of his hearing. On Wednesday, day three of the hearing, the courtroom became more dramatic when Pistorius’ defense lawyers asked him to remove his prosthetic legs and approach the stand.

Pistorius is dressed head to toe in Nike running attire today and appearing in front of judge Thokozile Matila Masipa who will be announcing her decision on July 6. He is currently facing a potential 15 year sentence for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on February 14, 2013. He has been claiming since that date that he was under the impression that he was firing shots on an intruder in their home.

In South Africa, 15 years is the standard sentence if someone is found guilty of murder however a judge has the leeway to lessen that punishment. Initially, in 2014, Pistorius was sentenced to five years. After serving the first year, he was let out on house arrest. In January, he submitted paperwork to appeal his conviction.

The video of the events in today’s courtroom with the report on the hearing so far was published by The New York Times.

“We have to see rationality now in the context of the sentence,” said one of the lawyers in the video.

According to The New York Times article, the intention behind this move was to show the vulnerability Pistorius would have felt the night he thought there was an intruder in his home in Pretoria. Many see this stunt as a move to get sympathy from the judge and thus receive a shorter sentence for the former track athlete.

Pistorius has had both his legs amputated however at the high point of his career, he was racing among able bodied runners. He is the only double-amputee to have raced in the able-bodied category and have won a world championship medal.