Brock Turner loses appeal of sexual assault conviction, must still register as lifetime sex offender

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- (KTLA) -- Brock Turner, the former Stanford swimmer who was sentenced to six months in jail after being convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in 2015, lost his appeal in the case on Wednesday.

An appeals court in Santa Clara County upheld Turner's conviction, issuing a 17-page ruling that concluded there was "substantial evidence" that he received a fair trial.

In 2016, Turner was convicted of assault with intent to rape, sexual penetration of an intoxicated person and sexual penetration of an unconscious person. As a result of the sentence, he must also register as a sex offender for life. Last month, his lawyer, Eric Multhaup had argued before the 6th District Court of Appeal that there was "a lack of sufficient evidence to support three convictions" against Turner.

The defense contended that because Turner was "fully clothed and engaged in forms of sexual conduct other than intercourse," it would "negate an inference of intent to rape." Turner's lawyers also argued because his pants remained on during the assault, he could only be found guilty of "sexual outercourse," rather than intercourse, the Mercury News reported.