U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin on Friday doubted that Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout deserves solitary confinement as a specially dangerous criminal, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported from the courtroom.
“He’s a businessman, he’s an arms dealer. I’ve never heard any evidence he was involved in violence,” Scheindlin said, asking for evidence that would show Bout’s solitary confinement is necessary to protect guards as well as other prisoners.
On November 2 last year, the jury of the Federal District Court of New York unanimously found Bout, now 45, guilty of conspiring to kill U.S. officials and citizens, of acquiring and intending to use anti-aircraft missiles and providing support to terrorists.
Scheindlin upheld Bout’s guilty verdict on Wednesday but seemed to agree with his lawyer’s demand to hold Bout under less restrictive conditions while he is awaiting sentencing.
Former Russian army officer Bout was arrested in Thailand in March 2008 during a sting operation led by U.S. agents and extradited to the United States in November 2010 after spending more than two and half years in Thai prisons.
Bout, who has denied all charges against him, faces from 25 years to life in prison. Sentencing is set for March 12.
Bout’s lawyers said they would continue the fight against his conviction and would lodge a new appeal immediately after his sentencing on Sunday.
Russian Vice Consul in New York Alexander Otchainov expressed disappointment with the court ruling in Bout’s case on Wednesday, saying Russia’s position that Bout is not guilty remains unchanged.
