Приговор при свечах / Judgment in candlelight - Владимир Анатольевич Арсентьев

head was caused by a contact shot, while the wounds of the chest on the right and of the posterolateral aspect of the chest were caused by two bullet shots from a firearm inflicted within a short time period, intra vitam, resulting in grievous bodily injury.

The forensic medical assessment of the evidence found one exit hole and two entrance holes on Petrov’s sports jacket and undershirt. One of them resulted from a contact shot, while the two others were caused by longer-range shots and are unaffected by gunshot additionalities; the gunshot wounds on the body match the ones on the clothes; most likely, the bullet found in the folds of the clothes before the autopsy exited the body but did not have enough kinetic energy to damage the clothes.

According to the record of seizure, a TNT slab, two green cylinders, a white cylinder, a shell burst simulator, and 15 cartridges were taken from Bednyakov.

Ballistics tests of the objects voluntarily surrendered by Bednyakov demonstrated the following:

– The TP-200 TNT slab is an explosive in serviceable condition.

– The artillery shell burst simulator (grey smoke) is an explosive in serviceable condition.

– The two green cylinders are yellow smoke ground signal cartridges, which fall within the category of pyrotechnics and are no explosives.

– The white cylinder is a detonating primer; part of the shell is cut off in an improvised manner; such objects are most often used in military engineering.

– The fifteen 9 mm pistol cartridges of the Parabellum model of foreign and domestic production are serviceable ammunition suitable for use.

Bednyakov testified to that end that the ammunition, explosives, and substances were what Leskov left with him for safekeeping in a bag. Bednyakov had been keeping the bag in his home. After seeing the contents of the bag, he voluntarily surrendered it to the investigation authorities.

The fact that Leskov and Bednyakov acquired ammunition in January of the next year was erroneously used by the investigation to prove that the defendants were armed from January until December of the previous year, that is, to warrant the charges against Porokhov, Perov, Pervushin, Sergeyev, Moiseyev, and Bragin.

The culpability of the defendants for the events associated with the fire in Yezhov’s home is confirmed by the following, in the opinion of the investigation:

Witness Prygunov testified that Perov told him about having an altercation with Pyzhov about an SUV. Perov hit Pyzhov in the course of that altercation. Late on one of the following nights, Prygunov came to Perov’s home in his Zhiguli car to pick him up. He drove him to the small house suburbs, where Moiseyev and Sergeyev got in the car. Soon Leskov arrived with three unknown guys. Perov, Moiseyev, and Sergeyev got in Leskov’s car. Perov asked about gasoline canisters, and Leskov asked about torches. Moiseyev replied that one could quickly make torches using a rag and a stick. When Moiseyev asked whether they might “mix up the green and red button,” Leskov answered that there was only one button. Perov returned, and they left. On their way back, Prygunov saw something glowing outside, but he didn’t hear the explosion. He took Perov home, and that is all he knows.

At trial Prygunov denied the above testimony to the preliminary investigation. He was home on that night and didn’t see any of the mentioned persons. He gave the above testimony under pressure on the part of criminal investigator B. Moreover, he was under the influence of drugs while he was testifying. In summer, he received substance abuse treatment, because he had begun doing drugs in prison. So he signed a “readymade” report, which he had not read, and he did not give such testimony. He signed that document while being detained on the grounds associated with the case. Only after it was done was he released from custody and the charges against him were dropped.

As for Prygunov’s above testimony for the preliminary investigation, it is evident that he did not witness the house incident:

– He did not name any specific actions that had led to the consequences examined at trial.

– He did not see any gasoline, torches, grenade launchers, other weapons, or persons who might have carried those objects.

Victim Yezhov testified that as Pervushin and Bragin drove up to his home in a car, he saw the license plate. Yezhov believes that Porokhov gave the order to kill Petrov, which was carried out. He also thinks that Porokhov wanted to eliminate Pyzhov after the murder of Petrov, but there has never been a conflict between them. The reason was that the car of Porokhov’s acquaintance got stolen. Porokhov decided to “take out” Pyzhov. Yezhov told that a week before the events, Porokhov, with the involvement of Perov, threatened him and Pyzhov with physical violence. The threats themselves were not accompanied with violence. According to Yezhov, Pyzhov told him he had been shot in the leg, beaten up, and tortured by drowning. On the next day, Porokhov continued threatening Yezhov and Pyzhov by phone call. Yezhov was shot at next to his home. He didn’t see who was shooting, and he didn’t get hurt because he quickly got inside the courtyard. When he and Kozhin were in a car near the wharf, they got pinned against the curb by two other cars. Among other unknown persons, there were Leskov and Moiseyev in one of the cars. Leskov, who was at the wheel, got out of the car and fired more than ten pistol shots at them. Another guy in Leskov’s car also shot at them more than ten times without leaving the vehicle. Kozhin, Yezhov’s driver, managed to get through and escape. But Leskov followed them in his car and fired at them about eight more times while driving. Then the pursuit ended. After several days, Yezhov, Kozhin, and Pyzhov went away to another town to escape from Porokhov. According to Yezhov, it was Porokhov who initiated the events described and the explosion of his house, which