South African judges can deviate from minimum sentences

OKLAHOMA CITY -- After starting the season with a 6-1 record, the Oklahoma City Thunder were being looked at as the surprise team in the NBA. A week later, the Thunder are in a tailspin, riding a four-game losing streak.That is the situation that awaits the Thunder (6-5) when they play host to the Houston Rockets (6-4) on Wednesday night at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.The latest loss came Monday night when Thunder traveled to Detroit on the second night of a back-to-back. Near the end of the first quarter and the start of the second, Oklahoma City allowed the Pistons to go on a 23-6 run. It was an uphill battle from that point on, and Detroit emerged with a 104-88 victory.Defensively we started with really good energy, Thunder coach Billy Donovan said. In fairness to our guys, you can always expect on a back-to-back that youre going to be a bit leg weary. Generally thats going to affect your offense. Sometimes on back-to-backs you cant put stock or onus on having a great offensive output, but you have to hang your hat on your defense.Oklahoma Citys defense is getting precipitately worse, but it hasnt just been against teams such as the Golden State Warriors or Los Angeles Clippers.The Thunders last two defeats came at the hands of the Orlando Magic and Detroit, clubs that rank in the bottom seven in the NBA in scoring. Each team managed to score over a 100 against the Thunder.Were one of the top teams in the league when we play defensively, Thunder guard Russell Westbrook told The Oklahoman. So Im not really worried about whos playing and whos not.Having issues with defense, however, is not a good problem to have with the Rockets in town. Houston is 10th in the league in scoring at 107.8 points per game and fifth in 3-point shooting at 37 percent.Houston has not had a problem putting up points this season. The Rockets are coming off a 115-88 plastering of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.I thought they came out with the right intensity, they came out the way they should have, Rockets coach Mike DAntoni said. We talked about it and came out in the second half the way we should have. That way we got some good rest. I saw a lot of good things.The Rockets might get even stronger Wednesday with the possible return of guard Patrick Beverley, who has been out since the preseason after undergoing left knee surgery.Beverley and the Thunder have a history that goes back to when he crashed into Westbrooks knee during the 2013 postseason. Westbrook ended up with a torn meniscus that cost him the rest of the postseason. Thunder fans catapulted Beverley to the top of their most hated list, which he has held onto since then.Against the 76ers, Rockets guard James Harden posted 33 points, seven rebounds and nine assists. He is now one of only three players in history to average at least 30 points and 10 assists through 10 games. Harden was also named Western Conference Player of the Week.However, Harden seems to be more focused on making sure his team plays the right way.Were getting better game by game, and defensively were getting better and offensively has been better, too, Harden told ESPN.com. We take it one game at a time. These next three games will be extremely tough; well be all right as long as we continue to do the things weve been working on.Asked his assessment of the Thunder in the wake of Kevin Durant exit in free agency, Harden said, Its Russ. Its Russ, and its a one-man show. Cheap Shoes Wholesale . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. Cheap Shoes From China . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. Cheap Shoes Free Shipping . LOUIS -- Theres no telling how these wacky World Series games will end. Cheap Shoes Discount . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- South African prosecutors announced their intention to appeal against Oscar Pistorius six-year jail sentence for murder on Thursday, calling it shockingly lenient and a decision that could bring the countrys justice system into disrepute.The announcement prolongs the three-and-a-half year legal saga of Pistorius, the once-acclaimed double-amputee runner who fatally shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home in 2013.The National Prosecuting Authority said it would file its appeal papers on Thursday -- the day of the deadline to appeal.Pistorius was sentenced to six years in prison by a judge on July 6, a sentence that is much shorter than the prescribed minimum of 15 years in jail for murder in South Africa. He could be released on parole after three years.We respectfully submit that the sentence of six years imprisonment, in all the circumstances, is disproportionate to the crime of murder committed, the prosecuting authority said in a statement announcing it would appeal.The sentence was shockingly too lenient, and has accordingly resulted in an injustice and has the potential to bring the administration of justice into disrepute, the prosecuting authority said.Steenkamps parents, Barry and June, said in a statement Thursday that they have always fully supported (chief prosecutor) Gerrie Nel and his teams fight for justice for Reeva. But Steenkamps parents had no input in the decision of the state to appeal, they said in the statement issued by their lawyer.The 29-year-old Pistorius is currently serving his six-year sentence in a prison in the South African capital, Pretoria. Under South African law, he could be eligible for parole after serving half the sentence.He also previously served one year in prison for manslaughter for shooting the 29-year-old Steenkamp, a model and reality TV star. That manslaughter conviction was upgraded to the more serious offense of murder after an earlier prosecution appeal, leading to a new senntencing.ddddddddddddrosecutors had sought a 15-year sentence for Pistorius for the murder, but Judge Thokozile Masipa said there were compelling circumstances in Pistorius case to give him a lesser sentence. South African judges can deviate from minimum sentences if there are exceptional circumstances.Pistorius defense lawyers and family said immediately after the sentencing that they accepted the judges decision. On Thursday, Pistorius family spokeswoman Anneliese Burgess said in an email to The Associated Press that they wouldnt be commenting on the prosecutions appeal.Pistorius shot Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet cubicle door in his home in the pre-dawn hours of Valentines Day 2013. Pistorius testified that he killed Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was an intruder hiding in the bathroom. Prosecutors said he shot her intentionally after an argument.Explaining her decision when she sentenced Pistorius two weeks ago, Judge Masipa said the former Olympic runner was a good candidate for rehabilitation, was unlikely to commit another crime, and had shown what appeared to be genuine remorse over Steenkamps death. Masipa also noted that Pistorius had lost his career and was ruined financially.Now, prosecutors must first ask the judge who sentenced Pistorius, Masipa, for permission to appeal her decision. If permission is granted, the appeal could go to South Africas Supreme Court, where prosecutors in Pistorius case have previously been successful.Last year, the prosecution successfully appealed against Pistorius initial manslaughter conviction and had it changed to murder. Masipa was also the judge who acquitted Pistorius of murder before that verdict was overturned on appeal.No date has been announced for the first hearing in the latest sentence appeal.---Follow Gerald Imray on Twitter: www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP ' ' '