‘Blade Runner’ Oscar Pistorious Avoids Murder Verdict But Faces ‘Culpable Homicide’

Oscar Pistorious has avoided the outright murder charge in the death of his girlfriend, but he still faces the possibility of 'culpable homicide'.

Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled out the most damning of the possible charges against the double-amputee athlete - premeditated murder.

She said Pistorius was a poor witness and often untruthful, but she said an intention to shoot did not necessarily translate to an intention to kill.

According to cbsnews.com:

"The state has clearly not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of premeditated murder," she told the court in her first significant remark of the day.

If the judge does hand down a verdict convicting Pistorious of culpable homicide, it would mean she deemed him negligent in causing Steenkamp's death, and he could still face a lengthy prison sentence for it.