Pistorius: I Cannot Afford A New Trial

Oscar Pistorius has said he cannot afford a new trial over the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

In papers filed with South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal, the former Paralympic athlete's lawyer Barry Roux argued it would be too long and complex.

He said the first trial was subject to intense public scrutiny which would "contaminate and confuse" the reliability and objectivity of another hearing.

Furthermore, Pistorius' "financial ability" to pay for a second trial was "non-existent".

Mr Roux said his client also faced the risk of double jeopardy in that he would be charged with murder again, on the same evidence, despite having been cleared of that allegation.

The papers were filed in response to the State's argument that Pistorius should have been found guilty of murdering Ms Steenkamp and not the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

It claims Pretoria High Court Judge Thokozile Masipa incorrectly applied a legal principle in reaching her verdict.

In December 2014, she granted the State leave to appeal, saying her culpable homicide verdict was based on her interpretation of the law.

Mr Roux argues the State is trying to attack Ms Masipa's finding that Pistorius did not intend to kill Ms Steenkamp, and that it was not allowed to do this.

The Court of Appeal is expected to consider the matter in November.

Ms Steenkamp, a model and reality TV star, died when Pistorius fired four shots though the bathroom door at his Pretoria home on St Valentine's Day 2013.

The 28 -year-old said at his trial he believed there was an intruder and that Ms Steenkamp was in the bedroom at the time.

The judge accepted his version of events and cleared him of murder, but he was found guilty of culpable homicide and jailed for five years.

He was given an additional three-year sentence, suspended for five years, for firing a gun in a restaurant.

The parole review board was expected to meet on Friday to decide if Pistorius could serve out the rest of his sentence under house arrest.

He was due to be released on 21 August, but Justice Minister Michael Masutha said the board acted prematurely when it set that date.