MOSCOW, August 14 - RAPSI. An expert interrogation in the case against a renowned martial artist has been postponed until August 16, the Zamoskvoretsky District Court told the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPSI/rapsinews.com) on Tuesday. Top fighter Rasul Mirzayev is being tried for allegedly killing a Moscow resident outside a nightclub in the capital with a blow to the head.

On Tuesday, the court planned to announce the sentence in the case, but Judge Andrei Fedin ordered to resume the court investigation and to interrogate expert Sergey Leonov. Leonov had been invited to take part in the trial for the defense earlier, but he has not yet been interrogated due to his absence. The court failed to pass a sentence without hearing his testimony.

The court told RAPSI that after the expert interrogation, the parties will once again present their arguments. The prosecutor will also request a sentence for the accused.
Mirzayev will also take part in the pleadings. He will give his final plea and the court will then call a recess to pass the sentence and inform the court of the date for its announcement.

Four expert examinations were held as part of the case.

Leonov conducted one such assessment.

Attorney Oksana Mikhalkina, who represents the interests of the victim's parents, said the court plans to ask Leonov if there was a correlation between Mirzayev's punch and Agafonov's death. It also intends to ask him about the power of Mirzayev's punch as a trained fighter and whether he used any wrestling techniques. Mirzayev is also a world champion in Sambo.

According to the investigation, Mirzayev hit Agafonov after an argument outside a nightclub in August 2011. He was taken to the hospital where he died several days later without regaining consciousness. The defense was insisting on reclassifying the charges against the martial artist, asserting that Agafonov died as a result of his hitting the ground as opposed to Mirzayevs blow.