Sports

Defendant, prosecutors appeal verdict in Dortmund bus attack

30 of November 2018

Defendant Sergej W. arrives at the Assize Court in Dortmund, Germany, Nov. 27, 2018. The court has convicted W. on 28 counts of attempted murder in last year's attack on the Borussia Dortmund soccer team's bus. The dpa news agency reported that the defendant, who has been identified only as Sergej W. in line with German privacy rules, was sentenced to 14 years in prison by the Dortmund state court on Tuesday. (Marcel Kusch/dpa via AP),Defendant Sergej W. arrives at the Assize Court in Dortmund, Germany, Nov. 27, 2018. The court has convicted W. on 28 counts of attempted murder in last year's attack on the Borussia Dortmund soccer team's bus. The dpa news agency reported that the defendant, who has been identified only as Sergej W. in line with German privacy rules, was sentenced to 14 years in prison by the Dortmund state court on Tuesday. (Marcel Kusch/dpa via AP)

BERLIN (AP) — A German man sentenced to 14 years in prison for attacking the Borussia Dortmund soccer team’s bus last year has appealed the verdict.

The dpa news agency reported the Dortmund state court said Friday that prosecutors have also appealed the verdict against the 29-year-old defendant, who has been identified only as Sergej W. in line with German privacy rules.

He was convicted Tuesday of 28 accounts of attempted murder, bodily harm and setting off an explosion. The defendant had argued that he didn’t intend to kill or hurt anyone, while prosecutors had sought a life sentence.

Dortmund defender Marc Bartra and a police officer were injured when three explosions hit the team’s bus as it left a hotel in the western German city for a Champions League game on April 11, 2017.