Russian dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko was sentenced to six years in a high-security prison on Tuesday for masterminding an acid attack that nearly blinded Bolshoi Ballet's artistic director Sergei Filin, Reuters reported. Yuri Zarutsky, who admitted throwing acid in Filin's face last January, was sentenced to 10 years in prison while Andrei Lipatov, who drove Zarutsky to the ballet, was sentenced to four years, news reports said.
"Their guilt in committing the crime has been established in full," said Judge Yelena Maximova. Judge Maximova also ordered the three convicted men "to pay 3 million rubles or $90,200 in moral damages and 508,000 rubles or $15,300 in material damages," Reuters also reported.
The lawyers for the three defendants said that they will appeal while Filin's lawyer, Natalya Zhivotkova, indicated that her client was satisfied with the verdict:
"Six years is a big punishment," she said.
The judge said that "Filin had grabbed Zarutsky's hand after he splashed the acid, but the assailant broke free and fled," Reuters reported. The attack left the 43-year-old nearly blinded and suffering immense pain as he returned to his apartment from the theater on a snowy evening.
"Maximova said testimony showed that Dmitrichenko had offered Zarutsky 50,000 roubles ($1,500) to give Filin a beating, and had tipped him off by telephone that Filin was on his way home," Reuters also reported. Zarutsky, who pleaded guilty, had said it was his own idea to use the acid. The prosecution, however, said in court that Dmitrichenko was "motivated by a conflict with Filin. Prominent former dancer Nikolai Tsiskaridze told the court that Filin had denied roles to both Dmitrichenko and his girlfriend, a ballerina," Reuters reported.
An atmosphere of deep-seated jealousies, intrigue and "backstage rivalries" were exposed during the month-long trial.
Filin returned to the Bolshoi in September after receiving treatment in Germany. His sight remains impaired after more than 20 operations, however, and the artistic director continues to wear dark glasses, Reuters also reported.
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