Melbourne: An Australian court on Wednesday begin hearing an appeal by Indian origin surgeon Jayant Patel against his conviction and seven years sentence for manslaughter.
According to media reports, Patel`s lawyers are expected to argue the jury`s verdict as unreasonable and not supported by the evidence, and that his sentence was excessive.
The Queensland Attorney-general has also lodged a counter-appeal. Lawyers acting for the crown will argue that the sentence was inadequate and failed to reflect the seriousness of his crimes.
Patel was sentenced in last July to seven years` in jail on manslaughter charges for killing three patients and causing permanent harm to another. The charges related to the time when he was the director of surgery at Bundaberg Base Hospital between 2003 and 2005.
PTI
