Video from scene of crime presented at Stanislav Markelov's murder trial

On April 20, the court, which considers the murder case of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova, satisfied the petition of the state prosecution to show to the jury the video record of interrogation of the accused Nikita Tikhonov at the scene of the crime, filmed in November 2009 in Prechistenka Street.

The representative of the victim - lawyer Vladimir Zherebenkov - believes that on this record Tikhonov reported the data, earlier unknown to investigators, including the fact that he had shot Markelov and Baburova from a Browning pistol.

"The examination was held only in December 2009 (Tikhonov's evidence was recorded at the scene of the crime on November 4, 2009, - note of the "Caucasian Knot"). His subsequent statements that someone had forced him to give that evidence, and he incriminated himself had nothing to do with reality. I believe that the evidence is fully correspondent with the actual circumstances of the case. There were plenty of insinuations on the topic why Tikhonov in the course of evidencing at the scene of the crime was in a cap-mask; that he was allegedly beaten, as Khasis had stated; but we see in the video that on November 4, 2009, Tikhonov had no bruises, abrasions and the like," said Vladimir Zherebenkov.

He called those statements an attempt to mislead the jury. According to his story, the reason why Tikhonov was in a mask is "to deprive his defence of the chance to use the fact that he had been shown earlier at the moment of identification". The lawyer is sure that "no physical pressure was put on Tikhonov."

Alexander Vasiliev, Nikita Tikhonov's advocate believes that under pressure one can not only sign the affidavit, but also give evidence to video camera.

"If we judge this video record objectively and impartially, it would be, to a greater degree, a proof of Tikhonov's innocence, because what he says in many aspects of principle does not match either the prosecution's version, which was reflected in the indictment, or with the objective circumstances of the murder of Markelov and Baburova, established from evidences of several eyewitnesses and witnesses of the crime," said the lawyer.

Mr Vasiliev drew attention, in particular, to the fact that when Tikhonov said that he had killed Markelov, he indicated the place where the body fell.

"This place is next to the blank wall of No. 1 in Prechistenka Street; however, the photographs from the scene of the crime show that Markelov's body lies next to the stairs. In this case, because of haste and negligence, Messrs detectives-investigators had been not thorough in rehearsing with Tikhonov where and what he had to show," said Alexander Vasiliev.

"The trial is accompanied by unprecedented violations of the criminal process; and even if the jury loses all its members, the judge, apparently, will pass make a conviction himself after coming up with some new article of the Code of Criminal Procedure, under which it could be permissible," said Vasiliev.

Let us remind you that on April 16 Anna Dobracheva, a juror in the murder case of Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova, announced her self-withdrawal, citing continued pressure on the jurors.

Let us remind you that initially 21 jurors were selected for the jury - 12 main ones and nine substitutes; however, one of them left the board almost immediately. Later, two more jurors dropped because of sickness.