http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/05/world/africa/pistorius-prosecutors-begin-appealing-sentence-and-conviction.html 2014-11-04 13:08:33 Pistorius Prosecutors Begin Appealing Sentence and Conviction Nathi Mncube of the National Prosecuting Authority said the organization had filed an application, but it was unclear whether permission to appeal would be granted. === Starting a new phase in a case that captivated a global audience, South African state prosecutors began legal proceedings on Tuesday to appeal the conviction and sentence handed down to the track star Mr. Pistorius During his seven-month trial, the athlete, 27, a double amputee since infancy, said he was not guilty of murder but admitted to killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law graduate and model. He said he believed an intruder had entered his home when he fired four rounds through a locked toilet cubicle door on Feb. 14, 2013. In a statement that was also posted It was not clear when the case would be heard or whether permission to appeal would be granted. “The appeal on conviction is based on the question of law,” Mr. Mncube said. The prosecution contends that while Mr. Pistorius had been convicted of a negligent killing, Judge Thokozile Matilda Masipa should have found him guilty of murder. The argument, echoed by some legal experts, is that under a principle known as dolus eventualis, Mr. Pistorius should have been held accountable for the foreseeable consequences of his actions. The charge is less serious than premeditated murder but could carry a term of 15 years. Mr. Pistorius is being held in the hospital wing of the Kgosi Mampuru II prison, formerly known as Pretoria Central, in Pretoria, the South African capital.