New York prosecutors issued a memorandum on Thursday in which they agreed not to refer to suspected Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout as "the Merchant of Death."
The announcement came as a response to an appeal by Bout's defense lodged on April 19. Among many other provisions, the 50-page document asks the court to end Bout's case as the U.S. government does not have jurisdiction to consider criminal cases over the offenses that have been committed outside the United States.
In their 60-page response to the appeal, prosecutors said they were ready to avoid labeling Bout as "the Merchant of Death" as a compromise, but demanded the court turn down all other requests by the defense.
Bout, 44, is being held in a New York prison while he awaits trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in October on charges including conspiring to supply arms to terrorist groups and conspiring to kill U.S. nationals. He denies all the charges against him.
The alleged arms dealer could face anything from 25 years to life in prison if convicted. The trial is scheduled for October 11.
NEW YORK, May 5 (RIA Novosti)
