BRASILIA/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday delayed until August its decision on an appeal by imprisoned former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who argued he should be freed because leaked private messages showed that the judge who convicted him was not impartial.

Five judges on the 11-member court heard the appeal. After rejecting in a 3-to-2 vote a proposal by one justice that Lula be freed until they have more time to evaluate the appeal, the justices decided to delay a decision until August, after a judicial recess.