MOSCOW, August 19 (RAPSI) – Defense lawyers have filed a cassation appeal against a 9-year sentence given to ex-surgeon of a Belgorod clinic Ilya Zelendinov for punching a patient with a lethal strike, RIA Novosti reported on Friday.

According to investigators, the incident happened on December 29, 2015 when a man who later became a victim was put in a clinic. During one of the procedures a man allegedly kicked a nurse which prompted Zelendinov to come to her defense. Expertise showed that victim died from еру acute heart failure caused by a strike in the neck.

No signs of psychological disorders were found during Zelendinov’s examination.

On March 24, Zelendinov was sentenced to 9 years and 2 months in penal colony for intended infliction of serious bodily injury. The court also prohibited Zelendinov from practicing medicine for three years.

Zelendinov and his defense lawyers appealed the sentence insisting on requalification of the article he was tried under to “Causing death by accident”.

The Belgorod Region Court in May upheld the sentence but ruled that Zelendinov had committed the crime having “indirect intent to do grievous harm.”