Kremlin Leaves Khodorkovsky's Lawyer Die in Jail

A Russian court suspended the trial of Vasily Aleksanian, the former lawyer for jailed oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, despite his serious illness, and refused to release him from prison.

Moscow's Simonovsky District Court rejected an appeal by Aleksanian's lawyers to release the sick man and let him get hospital treatment for AIDS-related cancer and tuberculosis.

The prosecution raised no objections to suspending Aleksanian's trial, but insisted Aleksanian must remain in custody.