Oscar Pistorius Could Be Freed From Prison Early Due To Counting Error; Murdered Girlfriend's Mom Not Opposing Parole Bid

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Oscar Pistorius could be granted his release from prison this week after it was recently discovered that the court made a counting error when it comes to his time served.

Pistorius, who was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeve Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013, was originally only found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to five years in prison.

The former Paralympian's case was presented on appeal in 2015 where the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa overturned the culpable homicide verdict and convicted him of murder. After another appeal in 2017, Pistorious' sentence was increased to 15 years, the minimum sentence for murder in South Africa.

Oscar Pistorius could be released from prison early on parole after a counting error by the court system in South Africa. (Photo by Marco Longari - Pool/Getty Images)

Pistorius has made bids for parole in the past, but his case being heard again on November 24 could potentially result in his release if the Department of Corrections find he is "suitable or not for social integration."

According to The Mirror, the court made a mistake by not counting a period Pistorius had served while his murder sentence was being appealed. This error reportedly proves he was actually eligible for parole in March 2023 when he was told at his first hearing he wasn't eligible until August 2024.

Pistorius' legal team noted the error to the country's apex Constitutional Court, which granted him a hearing for potential parole on Friday.

Being granted the hearing in a quick fashion isn't Pistorius' only boost of confidence this week.

The Daily Mail reports that Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp, is not set to oppose his parole.

June has consistently said Pistorius should serve his entire sentence in the past, but the passing of her husband two months ago is believed to have played a part in her change in tune.

She will not be attending the hearing in person on Friday, but a message provided by her will be read by a lawyer during the hearing.

If Pistorius is granted parole it's expected he would be released within a month's time.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.