Pistorius case being heard by Supreme Court of Appeal

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa — A prosecutor on Tuesday sought a murder conviction against Oscar Pistorius before South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal, saying that a lower court erred in acquitting the double-amputee athlete of that charge for shooting his girlfriend to death, instead convicting him of culpable homicide.

The Olympic runner's defense lawyers were also to present arguments to the panel of five judges, who could decide if Pistorius' conviction should stand or if it should be changed to a more serious murder conviction. The judges could also order another trial, although legal experts consider that unlikely.

If Pistorius is convicted of murder at the appeal, he would face a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors say Judge Thokozile Masipa made an error at Pistorius' trial last year when she acquitted him of murder for killing Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013. On being found guilty of culpable homicide, a charge comparable to manslaughter, he was sentenced to five years in prison. He was released from jail last month after serving a year in prison and was moved to house arrest. He was not present at Tuesday's hearing.

June Steenkamp, Reeva Steenkamp's mother, was inside the courtroom in the central city of Bloemfontein. She sat behind chief prosecutor Gerrie Nel as he presented his arguments to the Supreme Court judges, who wore black robes and sat on ornate wooden chairs with red backing.

Arguments were scheduled to last just one day and the judges can reach a decision with a simple majority. The judges were not expected to issue their verdict on Tuesday and there is no timeframe for when they will.