Father Calls for Release of Photos of Reeva Steenkamp's Body in Oscar Pistorius Case
He hopes photos would show everyone "the pain she must have gone through."
— -- The father of Reeva Steenkamp, the woman who was killed by famed South African athlete Oscar Pistorius, today tearfully asked a court to release photos of his daughter's body so the public can see her wounds.
Pistorius was found guilty of murdering Steenkamp, his girlfriend, after a court overturned an earlier manslaughter verdict on appeal. Today’s sentencing hearing, which started Monday, is to decide whether he will face more prison time.
The National Prosecuting Authority has said it wants Pistorius to spend a minimum of 15 years in prison for fatally Steenkamp through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home in February 2013, which Pistorius has said was unintentional.
Her father, Barry Steenkamp, today said he wants the world to view the photos of her body "to see what was inflicted upon her and the pain she must have gone through," because it might in some way prevent a similar incident.
He told the Pretoria court that he misses his daughter every "morning, noon and night" and that since the slaying, he has developed a habit of sitting on his veranda in the early hours of the morning, smoking cigarettes and looking at photos of his daughter that were sent to him by well-wishers.
He was not the only person crying in the emotion-filled courtroom. Pistorius sat with his head in his hands, sobbing, as Barry Steenkamp testified about the morning he found out that Reeva Steenkamp had been killed.
Barry Steenkamp said that he and his wife, June Steenkamp, have forgiven Pistorius but that he should pay for his crime. Barry Steenkamp also said that he would like to speak to Pistorius in private one day.
On Monday, professor Jonathan Scholtz, a psychologist called by Pistorius' defense, said the Paralympic gold medal winner is a "broken" man whose mental state has deteriorated. He also said that he would hospitalize Pistorius if he were his patient and that his symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have worsened over the past few years.
Pistorius competed at the Olympic Games in London in 2012, making history as the first amputee allowed to compete against able-bodied athletes.
A ruling is expected by Friday.