Prosecutors want harsher punishment for Pistorius in girlfriend's death

Nov. 3 (UPI) -- South African prosecutors asked the country's top appellate court Friday to exact greater punishment against convicted killer and former Olympian Oscar Pistorius, for the death of his girlfriend four years ago.

Prosecutors laid out their argument in the Supreme Court of Appeal, saying Pistorius got off with a woefully inadequate sentence after his 2013 trial -- six years in prison.

While the recommended sentence for the crime is 15 years, the judge in his trial conceded to defense pleas for leniency in what prosecutors called Friday a "misdirected" effort.

Pistorius, a former Paralympic and Olympic track star, shot and killed girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a bathroom of their Pretoria, South Africa, home in 2013 -- claiming at trial he mistook her for an intruder.

The former athlete was originally convicted of manslaughter, but the charge was upgraded from culpable homicide to murder in 2015 by an appeals court that cited errors of law during his trial. The court issued a sentence of six years, which he began serving last year.

Friday, the five-judge panel asked defense attorney Barry Roux why Pistorius did not warn the intruder of his intent to shoot. Roux answered that Pistorius, a double amputee, feared crime and had an anxiety disorder.

Roux also said Pistorius suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Prosecutors argued for a harsher sentence on Friday -- saying Pistorius has never showed remorse for Steenkamp's death or admitted his actions were wrong.

It's unknown when the appellate court might issue its ruling.

In London in 2012, Pistorius became the first amputee to participate in the Olympic Games -- in addition to the Paralympic Games. The track star won six Paralympic gold medals between 2008 and 2012.