The father of a 17-year-old deaf-mute teenager from Korkino, convicted of murdering a taxi driver, is contesting the court’s ruling, asserting his son’s intellectual capabilities are below those of a 14-year-old. The teenager was sentenced to 9 years and 10 months in prison for the crime that sparked riots in the community.

The father argues that his son’s understanding aligns with that of an 11 to 13-year-old child. He emphasizes the limitations highlighted by a psychiatric evaluation, which acknowledged the absence of definitive methods to accurately assess his son’s cognitive abilities.

He is pushing for the case to be sent back for a second forensic psychiatric evaluation. He claims his son doesn’t fully grasp the implications of the criminal proceedings against him, only understanding that he is being held in custody.

The conflict between Korkino residents and the diaspora began after the murder of taxi driver Elena Sarafanova, who was discovered dead on October 24th on Vatutina Street. Investigations revealed that she was stabbed in the chest during a dispute with two young men who had entered her car. Two suspects, including the deaf-mute teenager, were apprehended on the same day. The incident led to a spontaneous gathering of residents, escalating into mass riots involving roughly 150 individuals. Law enforcement detained over 40 people, with two reported injuries.