PRETORIA, South Africa — The judge in Oscar Pistorius’ trial today ruled out a murder conviction for the double-amputee Olympian in the shooting death of his girlfriend but said he was negligent, raising the possibility he’ll be convicted of culpable homicide.

The verdict in the case that has riveted much of South Africa and the world is expected Friday when Judge Thokozile Masipa reconvenes the judgment phase, climaxing the trial that began in March.

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.

The red-robed Masipa, sitting in the dais and looking down at Pistorius and the packed courtroom, said Pistorius acted negligently when he fired four times through a toilet door in his home in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine’s Day last year. In a moment of high-drama, Masipa then stopped reading her verdict in the six-month-long trial and adjourned until Friday.

Because there is no trial by jury in South Africa, Masipa is expected to explain exactly why she and her two legal aides came to the decision they have before the judge issues the verdict.

She said the prosecution had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Pistorius committed premeditated murder. She also ruled out a lesser murder charge.

As she spoke, Pistorius began sobbing quietly on the wooden bench, his shoulders shaking.