Oscar Pistorius murder case update shows that the "Blade Runner's" troubles are not yet over with the judge adjourning "short of a ruling" on Thursday. But he escaped the worst fate when Judge Thokozile Masipa said that he's not guilty of premeditated murder.

According to the Washington Post , Judge Thokozile Masipa seems prepared to give the verdict in the Oscar Pistorius murder case for the lesser charge of "culpable homicide" when she said that it's "clear that his conduct was negligent." But sentencing will resume on Friday morning.

The publication said that the judge used the "reasonable man" test in arriving at her decision. She said that a reasonable man, a double amputee at that, would have dialed the police or screamed for help upon knowing of an intruder in the house.

The judge is "not persuaded that a reasonable person with the accused's disabilities in the same circumstances would have fired four shots," the Post said.

 "Even if Pistorius is acquitted of murder, he could still be sent to jail for a maximum of 15 years if convicted of culpable homicide, which is the killing of someone through reckless or negligent behavior, although five years in prison is a guideline when a firearm is used," ESPN reported.

The judge believed, according to ESPN, "that the accused acted too hastily and with excessive force." However the prosecution failed to prove throughout the Oscar Pistorius murder case trial that the killing of Reeva Steenkamp premeditated murder.

 "Even if Pistorius is acquitted for murder, he could still face a conviction of culpable homicide, meaning he 'negligently' killed Steenkamp," The Week (Read more) magazine noted, quoting Eric Macramalla, a legal analyst at TSN.

When a person is acquitted of homicide in South Africa, the judge is given leeway on the sentencing which could vary from fines to imprisonment of up to 15 years.