An appeal hearing against the former ski-jumping Olympic champion Matti Nykänen started today at the Turku Court of Appeal's session in Tampere. In his appeal application, the Prosecutor demanded a conviction on the more serious charge of attempted manslaughter.
According to the defence, the charge should be dropped. Nykänen himself regards his offence as assault or excessive self-defence.
In October of last year, the Tampere District Court sentenced Matti Nykänen to two years and two months imprisonment for aggravated assault. The conviction was related to an incident in August 2004 in which a 59-year old man received two stab wounds during a drunken brawl at a summer cabin in Nokia. The victim was seriously injured, but his situation was not life-threatening.
