MOSCOW, December 19 (RIA Novosti) - A key suspect in the murder of Paul Klebnikov, former editor of Forbes Russia, made an unsuccessful suicide attempt on the weekend, a member of his defense team said Tuesday.

Ruslan Koblev said his client, notary Fail Sadretdinov, tried to hang himself in a cell of the Butyrsky detention center, where he has been held for more than a year, but that fellow inmates prevented him from doing so.

A jury earlier cleared Sadretdinov of murder charges, but the Supreme Court overturned the acquittal and ordered repeat hearings.

The defendant also faces prosecution on unrelated charges of property fraud and money laundering.

He has denied any wrongdoing, and said he was incriminated on fabricated evidence.

Koblev said Sadretdinov has been driven towards suicide by "despair, and violations of his rights in the court system."