Robert Gilman is already serving a prison sentence for attacking a police officer while drunk
A new trial has commenced in Russia for Robert Gilman, a former US marine currently serving a prison sentence for assaulting a police officer while under the influence of alcohol. According to RIA Novosti, new assault charges have been brought against him.
Gilman is accused of assaulting a prison official and a state investigator on four separate occasions, as reported by the Central District Court of Voronezh. The alleged assaults involved punching the victims in the head.
Prosecutors claim that in September 2023, Gilman struck Makarov, a colony inspector, during a cell inspection. The incident with Makarov reportedly occurred again in October, when Gilman was returning to his cell.
Later that month, Gilman allegedly inflicted “at least six blows” on a state investigator, resulting in a concussion. Gilman was subsequently transferred to a pre-trial detention center, where, on November 14, during a personal search, he allegedly “deliberately struck the inspector in the face with his right fist.”
The 30-year-old American has reportedly admitted to assaulting the men and claimed he was poisoned with “radioactive material.” He has also stated that “this whole hearing is pointless.”
In October 2022, Gilman was sentenced to 4.5 years in a Russian penal colony for a drunken attack on a police officer.
In January 2022, authorities removed the US army veteran from a train in Voronezh following complaints from fellow passengers on the Sochi-to-Moscow route about his drunken behavior. While in custody, Gilman allegedly kicked a police officer.
Gilman claimed at the time that he could not recall the incident but nevertheless insisted he had “apologized to Russia,” as well as to the police officer.
The former marine, who pleaded guilty but insisted “it was an accident” and claimed he was the victim of poisoned vodka, complained that the sentence was excessive.
The officer who was kicked, Sergey Strelnikov, dropped all charges against Gilman, stating that the ex-marine had served sufficient time in pre-trial detention.
However, the nature of the charge – using violence against an authority figure – allowed proceedings to continue despite the absence of a victim. Gilman’s defense later filed an appeal, and in May 2023, his sentence was reduced by one year.