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Police officer accused of adolescent's death to go on trial in Petersburg

The tragedy, in which the 15-year-old adolescent was killed, occurred overnight to Sunday, January 22, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG, October 3 (Itar-Tass) - St Petersburg's Neva district court on Thursday will begin to review a criminal case against former police officer Oleg Prokhorenko, accused of causing the death of a 15-year-old boy after beating him up at a police station.

Prokhorenko was charged with exceeding his authority and manslaughter.

In September, the court gave a 6.5-year suspended sentence to his colleague, former district policeman Denis Ivanov, who had been tried on similar charges. During the probe, Ivanov asked for plea bargain, and his case was reviewed under special procedure.

The tragedy, in which the 15-year-old adolescent was killed, occurred overnight to Sunday, January 22, 2012. Police testified they had witnessed an incident in which a local resident was robbed by an eighth-form pupil and his accomplice. The adolescent tired to escape, but police detained and used force on him. He was brought to a police station where officers questioned him. As the boy's health deteriorated, police called an ambulance.

The boy died on his way to hospital.

Soon thereafter, the Investigative Committee's department for St. Petersburg reported that the crime had been solved. Police Lieutenant Denis Ivanov and his colleagues initially obstructed the investigation and insisted that they had used force on the boy only when they were detaining him. However, acknowledging solid evidence to the contrary, he confessed to severely beating the adolescent using the shaft of a broom and punching him. He was unable to explain his motives, the SK said.

Denis Ivanov was relieved of his duties "for the fault dishonorable for police officer."

Following the incident, a number of Nevsky district police officials were disciplined, and precinct head Valery Belotserkovsky stepped down.

Senior special detective of police department # 75 Major Prokhorenkov and acting deputy chief of the same department Alexei Malykh were fired for "failing to stop the illegal actions by Lieutenant Denis Ivanov and provide assistance to the underage detainee."

On February 6, reports said Malykh had died in hospital of "natural causes."

A sweeping check in Petersburg police operation was launched after the high-profile incident. Petersburg and Leningrad region police Chief Mikhail Sukhodolsky was relieved of his duties.