Appeal hearing postponed for American imprisoned in Russia

 A Moscow court on Wednesday postponed hearing the appeal of an American sentenced to nine years in prison for assaulting police officers, and ordered that he undergo a psychological examination. Trevor Reed was convicted last year over an altercation in August 2019 in Moscow, where he was studying Russian and visiting his girlfriend.

He allegedly assaulted police officers who were driving him to a police station after picking him up following a night of heavy drinking at a party.The United States has sought his release, saying the evidence against him was weak.

A spokesman for the Reed family, Johnathan Franks, said by email that the examination ordered by the judge had been requested by Reed with the aim of establishing his diminished capacity when he was interrogated.Reed, an ex-Marine from Texas, is one of three Americans imprisoned or charged in Russia under controversial circumstances.

Paul Whelan, a former corporate security executive, was convicted in June of espionage and sentenced to 16 years. His lawyer has said his client was handed a flash drive that had classified information on it that he didn’t know about.Investment banker Michael Calvey faces trial for alleged embezzlement, but was released from 19 months of house arrest in November.