Oscar Pistorius parole review hearing postponed 2 weeks

A second hearing to decide whether former Olympic runnerOscar Pistorius should be released early from prison has beenpostponed for two weeks, South Africa's Department of CorrectionalServices said today.

The department's parole review board met on Friday to consider anumber of cases, but didn't complete them, it said in a statement.

Pistorius's case was one of those which still must be reviewed.

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The doubleamputee, known at the Blade Runnerfor the special blade prostheses he wears to run, was initially approvedto be releasedand moved to house arrest last month. However, South Africa'sjustice minister intervened and ordered a review, saying a paroleboard's decision at a hearing back in June was premature.

Pistorius, 28, was sentenced to five years in prison last Octoberafter being convicted of culpable homicide, or manslaughter, forshooting girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. Under South Africanlaw, he was eligible for release after serving one-sixth of hissentence in jail,in his case, 10 months.

But two days before his expected Aug. 21 release, JusticeMinister Michael Masutha ordered a review of Pistorius's case on atechnicality, saying his release was approved in June and before hehad served 10 months.

Pistorius is being held in the hospital wing at the Kgosi MampuruII prison in central Pretoria. If he is released, he would likelyserve the remainder of his five-year sentence under house arrest athis uncle's mansion in suburban Pretoria.

Even if he is released early from jail, the former star athlete'scourt battles are not over. Prosecutors are appealing his acquittalfor murder at the Supreme Court in November, where he will againface the possibility of a murder conviction and a 15-year jailsentence for shooting Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet doorin his home.