Oscar book out of question... for now

Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria after being found guilty of culpable homicide. Photo: AP

Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria after being found guilty of culpable homicide. Photo: AP

Published Sep 15, 2014

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Johannesburg - Oscar Pistorius is not planning on writing a “tell-all” book. Well, not right now anyway.

This is according to his manager and agent, Peet van Zyl, who told The Star on Sunday that recent media reports took his comments on the issue “out of context”.

Van Zyl was quoted in a UK newspaper at the weekend as saying that Pistorius would write a book, giving his account of what happened when he shot dead his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, and his ordeal in standing trial for her killing.

Van Zyl was quoted as saying: “He will write his own book, we’ve discussed it. We’ve talked about ideas and concepts. I’m not going to go into details now.”

However, Van Zyl on Sunday denied saying the book was on the cards.

“That’s the problem I have with the media. They take things out of context.

“I was asked if writing a book is something he’d do and I said we could look into it in future, but we had not discussed it. There’s no plan so far,” he said.

“They write things as if they’ve had a lengthy conversation with you. If only people could listen to what’s said and write facts, and not write what you want to write.

“It was a hypothetical question and I gave a hypothetical answer. If he were to write a book, it would be about his life so far.”

Professor James Grant, of the Wits School of Law, said the possibility of Pistorius writing a book in future that might have new information beyond what was presented in court might be restricted by any appeal process.

“Ordinarily, if he were to write a book with new information, he wouldn’t be retried. But if he says something exceptional such as admit guilt, it would be unthinkable that an appeal court wouldn’t take it up.”

 

However, Grant said he was sure Pistorius had been advised by his legal team not to comment on anything until the appeal process was completed.

On the subject of whether, legally, Pistorius would be allowed to make money from writing a book, media lawyer at Webber Wentzel Attorneys Dario Milo said: “Depends on whether he is sentenced for the crime of culpable homicide to prison or community correction.

“If so, the Correctional Services Act provides that he will not be permitted to make any money from any published account of the offence for which he is serving a sentence.”

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The Star

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