Russia overturns conviction of synagogue attacker

Russia overturns conviction of synagogue attacker

The verdict came after both the prosecution and the defense contested the sentence of Alexander Koptsev, who was convicted of stabbing nine men with a hunting knife at a Moscow synagogue.

Koptsev's lawyers filed an appeal to the Supreme Court in April to have his sentence reduced, arguing he was mentally unstable and that the injuries he inflicted did not permanently disable any of the victims, according to the AP.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, protested the judge's decision to drop a charge against Koptsev for inciting interethnic hatred, and appealed to include it.

The Supreme Court's spokesman, Pavel Odintsov, said the reasoning behind Tuesday's decision would be made public later.