Was Same Gun Used to Kill Judge, Human Rights Attorney & Journalist?
The same handgun that was used to kill a Russian judge outside his Moscow home this week also was the weapon used to murder a human rights attorney and a journalist last year, a lawyer contends. The latest slaying reportedly could be a contract hit related to Moscow City Court Judge Eduard Chuvashov’s work on the bench.
However, authorities say the pistol used in the two earlier slayings is investigators’ hands and Chuvashov was killed Monday with a different weapon, reports the Associated Press.
Attorney Alexey Baranovsky says law enforcement contacts tell him ballistic evidence shows the same gun was used to murder Chuvanshov on Monday and lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasiya Baburovan in early 2009.
Additional coverage:
Itar-Tass News Agency: “Moscow judges pay last respects to colleague killed in contract hit”
ABAJournal.com: “Russian Judge Shot to Death at Home in Possible Contract Hit Over His Work”.
ABAJournal.com: “Law Firm Founder Flees Russia, Says He Feared Suffering Same Fate as Dead Colleague”
ABA Journal: “Russia Claws at the Rule of Law”
