WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th April, 2020) The defense of Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko does not rule out challenging the denial of his request for parole over coronavirus concerns, his lawyer Alexey Tarasov told Sputnik.
"The petition was denied by the warden of the facility, and we are waiting the official notification through the mail," Tarasov said on Monday. "As soon as we get it by mail, we are going be able to file the further challenge that denial in the Bureau of Prisons and maybe Federal court."
On Friday, Tarasov said that the prison's administration gave Yaroshenko an official rejection of the parole request.
Earlier this month, Tarasov told Sputnik that Yaroshenko believed he had the coronavirus, and all prisoners in the cell had become infected. According to the lawyer, the pilot said his cellmate had died from COVID-19.
So far there have not been any medical tests performed. This is the latest information as of today, he said.
Tarasov noted that he has spoken with Yaroshenko's wife Victoria.
"She indicated there have not been any tests done to her husband," he said.
Yaroshenko was arrested in Liberia in May 2010 on suspicion of drug trafficking. A year later he was extradited to the United States and sentenced to 20 years in prison for allegedly taking part in a conspiracy to smuggle a large amount of drugs to the country. He has denied all charges.
