MOSCOW, May 26 (RAPSI) – Defense for Mikhail Efremov filed a cassation appeal demanding to overturn an appeals instance’s ruling imposing a 7.5-year prison sentence on the actor, the press service of Moscow’s Presnensky District Court told RAPSI on Wednesday. 

Lawyers Petr Kharkhorin and Roman Filippov seek to return the matter to an appeals court for reconsideration.

In October 2020, the Moscow City Court reduced jail sentence of Efremov by 6 months, from 8 to 7.5 years. The actor was found guilty of driving under influence (DUI) resulting in vehicular homicide.

As established by the court, on the evening of June 8, Efremov driving his car crossed into the oncoming lane in central Moscow and collided with a delivery service vehicle. He was arrested on the scene. Alcohol and drugs were reportedly found in his blood. Victim Sergey Zakharov was taken to hospital where he died early in the morning of June 9.

Efremov pleaded guilty in the case.