A FORMER water polo champion jailed for killing her newborn baby is appealing her conviction.
Keli Lane was sentenced last year to at least 13 years and five months behind bars for murdering her second baby, Tegan, on September 14, 1996.
Lane's solicitor Ben Archbold today lodged appeal papers at the NSW Supreme Court in Sydney.
Mr Archbold told reporters outside court there were eight grounds on which Lane's conviction would be appealed, including that the trial judge failed to leave open to the jury an alternative count of manslaughter.
He said it would also be contended that the crown prosecutor had reversed the onus of proof in his closing address, which was prejudicial to the trial.
"We believe that those eight grounds, that she'll be successful on one or maybe a few of them," Mr Archbold said.
Mr Archbold said he had just been to see Lane, who was confident about the appeal, describing it as "a bit of good Christmas news for her".
"Kelly's confident because she hasn't done anything wrong, she really does maintain her innocence," Mr Archbold said.
Lane continued to enjoy the support of her boyfriend and family while in prison, he added.
Mr Archbold said he would also seek bail for Lane, and he hoped an application would be heard early in 2013.
Prominent Sydney barrister Winston Terracini QC had been engaged to run the appeal, Mr Archbold said.
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