Reeva Steenkamp's family 'furious' as Oscar Pistorius in '£1m book deal'
Reeva Steenkamp's family are reportedly furious as killer Oscar Pistorius is allegedly planning to cash in on a £1million tell-all book.
The South African double-amputee Olympic runner was released from prison on parole on Friday having served nearly nine years of a murder sentence for the 2013 killing of his girlfriend Reeva. The 37-year-old will have to live under strict conditions until his full sentence of 13 years and five months expires on December 5, 2029.
It has been reported that the killer is already attracting interest from publishers, with fees of up to £1million floating around. But under the strict terms of his parole, he is banned from speaking to the media and would need permission from the South African authorities. In 2014, Pistorius's manager and agent, Peet van Zyl, revealed that his client intends to put his side of the story on paper. He told the Observer: "He will write his own book. We've discussed it. We've talked about ideas and concepts. I'm not going to go into details now."
A close family source told The Sun on Sunday: "Oscar spent a lot of time writing. Some prisoners do this to show the parole board that they have accepted what they have done. There are already a lot of publishers that are interested. But publishing a book, and particularly making money out of it, has gone down very badly with Reeva’s family. They desperately want to get on with their lives but this will add to their grief."
Pistorius shot 29-year-old Reeva four times, through a locked bathroom door with the 9mm pistol he kept under his bed. In addition to her modelling career, Steenkamp was a reality TV star with a law degree who had become an activist against the scourge of violence against women in South Africa — a tragic irony given how she died. She and Pistorius had only been dating for a few months.
Oscar Pistorius 'wailed' during meeting with Reeva Steenkamp's parents
Murderer Oscar Pistorius with his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp he killed (AFP via Getty Images)
Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp in 2012 (Getty Images)Steenkamp’s mother, June Steenkamp, said in a statement Friday that she had accepted Pistorius’ parole, although the pain of her daughter’s death was "still raw and real." Steenkamp’s father, Barry Steenkamp, died last year. Pistorius’ parole conditions include restrictions on when he’s allowed to leave home, a ban on consuming alcohol, and orders that he must attend programs on anger management and violence against women. He must also perform community service. He could be sent back to prison if he is in breach of any of his parole conditions.
In his trial, Pistorius was accused of being prone to angry outbursts and acting recklessly with guns, while witnesses testified about altercations he had with others, including an argument in which he allegedly threatened to break a man’s legs. It was later revealed that the once well-loved Olympic star had been a gun fanatic who once fired a gun in a restaurant and had 10 weapons, including an AK-47.
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