Oscar Pistorius Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison: Latest Details and Comments

Oscar Pistorius is currently serving a five-year prison term for the crime of culpable homicide after he shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Continue for updates.

 Updates from Tuesday, Nov. 18

Pistorius' Lawyers File Paperwork

The Associated Press provides an update on Pistorius' appeal, (via ESPN):

"

Oscar Pistorius' lawyers have filed court papers asking a judge to reject prosecutors' attempts to take the athlete's case to South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal.

Pistorius' lawyers say that Judge Thokozile Masipa should not grant prosecutors permission to challenge her decision to acquit Pistorius of murder for shooting girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp through a toilet cubicle door. Masipa instead found the double-amputee Olympic athlete guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter and sentenced him to five years in prison.

Prosecutors want to appeal that verdict, saying Masipa made an error in her interpretation of the law. They said they also want to appeal the sentence, calling it "shockingly light.

"

Updates from Monday, Nov. 10

Date Set for State's Pistorius Appeal

The National Prosecuting Authority will officially have its appeal against Pistorius' conviction and sentence heard on Dec. 9. The Associated Press reports, via ESPN:

"

Prosecutors said Monday their application to appeal against Oscar Pistorius' manslaughter conviction and five-year prison sentence will be heard in a Pretoria court on Dec. 9.

It wasn't yet decided if the Olympic runner -- who is in jail in the same city -- would attend the hearing, his lawyer said.

Prosecutors have said Pistorius should have been found guilty of murder for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. Their appeal against Judge Thokozile Masipa's initial verdict and sentence has "reasonable prospects" of success, they said.

"

Updates from Tuesday, Nov. 4

Prosecution Officially Challenges Pistorius Verdict and Sentence

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has officially filed an appeal against the five-year prison sentence handed to Oscar Pistorius for the crime of culpable homicide.

Pistorius shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp but could be released from prison in under a year. The NPA is adamant judge Thokozile Masipa's sentence is too lenient, per Eyewitness News:

Updates from Monday, Oct. 27

Prosecution to Appeal Pistorius Sentence

Oscar Pistorius is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for the crime of culpable homicide after he shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

However, that sentence may yet be altered after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed intent to appeal judge Thokozile Masipa's verdict, per Eyewitness News:

Updates from Tuesday, Oct. 21

Pistorius Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

The murder trial involving South African double-leg amputee track star Oscar Pistorius reached its conclusion Tuesday as the 27-year-old Olympian was sentenced to five years in prison.

Eyewitness News' Barry Bateman reported the sentence delivered by judge Thokozile Masipa from Pretoria, South Africa:

Sky News' Alex Crawford delivered further details on both rulings, the second of which relates to discharging a firearm in a public restaurant:

However, Claire Phipps of The Guardian noted that Pistorius may only have to serve 10 months of that prison term:

The decision comes on the heels of Pistorius being found guilty of culpable homicide on Sept. 12, 2014, after he shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Feb. 14, 2013.

Pistorius was also found guilty on an unrelated gun charge on Sept. 12, but the judge ruled that premeditated murder could not be proved in the Steenkamp killing.

Steenkamp's mother, June, nevertheless felt satisfied, per Crawford:

BBC News' Andrew Harding reports the Steenkamp family will not appeal for a longer sentence:

As seen in this graphic courtesy of Sky Sports, the Blade Runner could have been sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison with the gun charge added as well:

While Masipa did not believe the prosecution proved premeditation beyond a reasonable doubt, she ruled that Pistorius failed to act reasonably in shooting and killing his 29-year-old girlfriend from behind a toilet cubicle door in his home, per David Smith of The Guardian.

Charlie Shoemaker/Getty Images

"A reasonable person, with a similar disability, would have foreseen that the person behind the door would be killed, and the accused failed to take action to avoid this," Masipa said, via Smith.

It will long be debated whether the punishment fits the crime.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux told the court, prior to the sentencing, that Pistorius had lost everything and had become the victim of biased media reporting. He argued house arrest with the chance to reform was the right verdict, per Bateman:

However, prosecutor Gerrie Nel urged the court to remember that Steenkamp's family members were the true victims. He also warned Judge Masipa that a lenient sentence would set precedent for similar cases, per Crawford:

Pistorius' initial acquittal of premeditated murder turned plenty of heads, and it prompted Kevin O'Sullivan of the Mirror to blast the South African justice system:

Pistorius, before this trial, was perhaps the most beloved athlete in South Africa as an eight-time medalist in the Paralympic Games and participant in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Charlie Shoemaker/Getty Images

However, EWN Sport has already confirmed that Pistorius will not be able to compete for at least five years, regardless of whether or not he is granted early release:

This trial sparked controversy across the world from start to finish, and it may yet write a new chapter should Pistorius appeal Tuesday's verdict.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter