Oscar Pistorius Released on Bail

edwin February 02, 2013 0 Comment

Oscar Pistorius stands at the dock before the start of proceedings at a Pretoria magistrates court

After four days of combative hearings, a South African magistrate on Friday granted bail for Oscar Pistorious, the double amputee track star accused of murdering his girlfriend, in a case that has horrified and fascinated the nation and much of the world.

When the long-awaited decision came, the only man in the packed courtroom who did not seem seized by the moment was Oscar Pistorius himself.

His family members smiled and joined in a circle of prayer. His friends leaped to their feet, punched the air and shouted “Yes!” Journalists thronging the court eagerly shared the news on Twitter.

But at the center of it all, Pistorius remained utterly isolated, plunged into a seemingly bottomless pit of despair. There was little sign of joy on the face of the London Olympic and Paralympic star, who had spent most of the day with jaw clenched, swallowing hard or sobbing softly.

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