Defence lawyers appeal against verdict on Pumane's case

The defence lawyers have appealed against the verdict on the case of death of submariner Alexander Pumane, reports lawyer Valeri Glushenkov.

"I have filed a cassation appeal against the verdict of Presnya district court in Moscow, in my name and on behalf of Iosif Smereka, my defendant, who is a duty officer at Presnya district militia station," says the lawyer.

On March 29, the Presnya district court sentenced Smereka to two years of imprisonment at a penal colony, and Andrei Semighin, his chief, to the same period of suspended imprisonment. The court found them guilty of negligence which caused serious consequences, reports RIA "Novosti."

Alexander Pumane, reserve captain II rank, was detained on September 18, 2004, about half past one in the morning by officers of criminal investigation department of militia unit No. 83, while he was driving a VAZ-21053. Two mines MON-50 with electric detonators, a 200-gram trotyl block, an electric circuit control card and a 20-litre canister with white liquid were found in the car.

During interrogation at the militia station, Pumane was inflicted deadly wounds which caused his death at Sklifosovskiy ambulance hospital. On September 19, the Moscow prosecutor's office initiated criminal proceedings in connection with the death of the detainee, under two articles of the RF CC: "abuse of power which caused grave consequences" and "infliction of serious damage to health which caused death."