VLADIVOSTOK. July 4 (Interfax) - The defense of U.S. serviceman Gordon Black, sentenced to three years and nine months in a penitentiary by a Vladivostok court on counts of theft and murder threat, seeks to overturn the sentence, a representative of the joint press service for the Primorye territorial judiciary told Interfax.
"An appeal from Gordon Black's lawyer was filed with the office of the Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok on Thursday. The defense asked to overturn Black's conviction by the Pervomaisky District Court on June 14 and to order a review of the criminal case," the press service representative said.
On June 19, the Pervomaisky District Court in Vladivostok sentenced Black to three years and nine months in a general penitentiary. The court also upheld the victim's civil claim for 10,000 rubles.
As reported, the trial of U.S. citizen Black, 34, began on June 6. He was charged with threatening murder and theft causing substantial damage. Investigators established that Black was accused of grabbing his girlfriend, whose apartment in Vladivostok he lived in from April 2024, by the neck in a quarrel in May. The woman said she took his actions as a threat to her life. Following this, Black, who had no money of his own, stole 10,000 rubles from the woman's wallet and spent it on his needs, including a hotel room where he was found and detained. On May 3, a court in Vladivostok placed him under arrest until July 2.
Black pleaded not guilty to threatening murder and partially guilty to theft, saying he had no intent to steal. He also said he transferred the money to the victim after the incident.
The victim told the court that the damage was not compensated and that she was not ready to make peace with the defendant.