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Like to disguise himself as Napoleon and re-enact his wars: the now convicted Oleg Sokolov 2012
Photo: Dmitri Lovetsky / AP
In the trial against the Russian history professor and Napoleon expert Oleg Sokolow, a verdict has been reached: he is to be imprisoned for twelve and a half years for the murder of his girlfriend.
This was announced by a court in St. Petersburg on Friday.
Sokolov was arrested in a drunk state in November 2019 while trying to sink body parts in the Moika River in St. Petersburg.
The police took the 63-year-old out of the ice-cold water and discovered severed women's arms in his backpack.
The officers found a blood-smeared saw and the decapitated body of his former student and partner Anastasia Yeschchenko in his apartment.
Sokolov had lived with the 24-year-old and wrote several books.
According to the Russian website "Fontanka", Sokolov's lawyer wants to challenge the verdict.
The defense had pleaded for eight years in prison.
The public prosecutor, however, had demanded 15 years imprisonment for the historian for murder and illegal possession of weapons.
According to its own statements, the court had no doubts about his guilt in the process.
Among other things, his age therefore had a mitigating effect.
The parents of the killed student were present when the verdict was announced - as was a spectator in a Napoleon costume.
Sokolov had already confessed to the crime the previous year.
He had stated at the time that he had lost control in an argument with his long-time partner.
The argument was about his children from a previous relationship.
His partner first attacked him with a knife, then he shot her four times.
Then he sawed off her head, arms and legs.
According to Russian media reports, Sokolov wanted to take his own life after sinking the body parts.
Accordingly, he had disguised himself as Napoleon wanted to overthrow from the St. Petersburg Peter and Paul Fortress.
He is also said to have worn a Napoleon costume when he was arrested in November 2019.
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ire / arv / Reuters