Pistorius' lawyers oppose appeal of 'light' sentence

Lawyers for South Africa's disgraced athlete Oscar Pistorius said yesterday they will oppose the state's bid to appeal his five-year manslaughter sentence for killing his girlfriend in February 2013

Johannesburg: Lawyers for South Africa's disgraced athlete Oscar Pistorius said yesterday they will oppose the state's bid to appeal his five-year manslaughter sentence for killing his girlfriend in February 2013.

Oscar Pistorius

Brian Webber said they have filed papers at the High Court in the capital Pretoria stating their “intention to oppose the leave for appeal.”

On Tuesday, prosecutors lodged court papers pressing for a murder conviction and a harsher sentence for the Olympic and Paralympic star, calling his punishment “shockingly light” and “inappropriate.”

The defence’s action signals the beginning of a second round of a drawn-out legal battle with the state.

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