Oscar Pistorius Didn't Get Away With Murder, But He Did Get Off Easy

Oscar Pistorius will finish his sentence before you finish this one.

At least that's how most people feel about the lenient sentencing in the South African double amputee's murder trial. On Tuesday, Pistorius received five years of jail time for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The sentence invoked a #ThingsLongerThanOscarsSentence hashtag on Twitter that featured everything from Voldemort's nose to Arsene Wenger's coat.

Many saw the light punishment coming, mainly because Judge Thokozile Masipa had already cleared the athlete of murder last month—agreeing that Pistorius' actions were not premeditated. Never mind the implausibility of a man who went to bed with his girlfriend, waking up and, not finding her next to him, shooting four rounds into a bathroom door without thinking that it could be her. That was no longer up for debate. The sentence belittles the value of a life and sets a weak standard for what counts as justice. Namely, that if you're able to convince a South African judge of your negligence, murder is five-year crime.

Or wait, not even that. Because of the laws in South Africa, after serving only one sixth of his sentence—10 months—in prison, Pistorius can apply to spend the rest of the sentence under community supervision or house arrest. His lawyers are confident that they will make this happen.

"I am of the view that a non-custodial sentence would send the wrong message to the community," Judge Masipa said referring to the possibility of letting Pistorius walk away with a house arrest. "But a long sentence would not be appropriate because it would lack the elements of mercy."

Mercy should not be the top priority for men who kill women. Even if they are disabled. Even if they are multi-millionaire athletes. But Masipa decided to go with a middle ground pseudo-solution that has angered many in South Africa and led them to ask if this is what future killers in the country should expect.

And it's not that the judge, who has a history of dealing with violence against women, hasn't delivered harsher punishments before. In 2009, Masipa gave lifetime imprisonment to a police officer after he killed his estranged wife over a divorce settlement. Compare that to five years in Pistorius' case. Why the lenient sentencing for Pistorius? Could it be because he's an elite athlete? One of the defense witnesses, Joel Maringa, had argued how keeping him in house arrest instead of prison would give him the chance to train. Should an athlete's routine really take prominence when he's being tried for killing someone?

The Pistorius trial has once again proven that there's something about athletes that allows them to get off easy even when they are violent. Perhaps especially when they commit crimes against women. Mike Tyson comes to mind. After being convicted of raping an 18-year-old in the prime of his boxing career, Tyson got a six-year sentence in 1992. In Indianapolis, where the incident had occurred, a 10-year sentence is common for that crime. But Tyson was given six and was out of prison in just three.

Another boxing god, Floyd Mayweather Jr., who's been featured as the richest athlete in the world on Forbes' list, served only two months in jail in 2012 despite being convicted of domestic battery. In front of two of their three children, Mayweather attacked his former girlfriend Josie Harris, twisted her arm, and pulled her hair.

Among the reasons that his lawyers pleaded to keep him out of jail? Mayweather's boxing career would be at risk because prison food didn't meet his dietary needs. Obviously, an athlete's right to make money is more important than a woman's right not to be abused. To top it all off, despite the sentencing, Mayweather was allowed to remain free for more than four months just so he could fight another bout. Talk about athlete privilege.

In 2006, USA Today looked at the sentencing of 40 athletes, whose crimes included assaulting against their partners and statutory rape. The punishment in each case was the same: community service. In 24 of the 28 cases in which the community service was measurable, punishment involved activities such as throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at a baseball game, posing for pictures, and attending or coaching at youth sports camps.

For pleading guilty to a felony—punching and kicking a woman—hockey player Joe Corvo's community service was signing autographs and making public appearances.

And these light sentences have ensured that former athlete-convicts like Ray Lewis still show up on television and make statements like "There's some things you can cover up, and there's some things you can't," referring to Ray Rice's domestic abuse.

Ray "some things you can hide" Lewis, one of the best linebackers in NFL history, was charged with double murder but pled guilty only to obstruction of justice after, well, he was able to hide some things. Here's hoping the judge has a bit more perspective when former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez's case goes to trial next year.

Meanwhile, yesterday in the UK, a man was sentenced to four years because he committed fraud and pretended to be Chelsea's winger Gael Kakuta. Compare that to Pistorius. Out in 10 months for shooting someone dead.