Brazil court trims Lula sentence, opening door to partial detention

A general view of Brazil's Superior Court Justice during a session to try the appeal of former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, in Brasilia, Brazil April 23, 2019. REUTERS/Adriano Machado

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's jailed former leftist president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, could gain partial freedom within five months following a court decision on Tuesday to reduce his sentence in one of two corruption convictions.

The popular politician began serving a 12-year prison sentence a year ago on a corruption and money-laundering conviction for accepting a luxury beachside apartment as a bribe from an engineering company in the "Carwash" graft scandal.