MOSCOW, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Lawyers for Viktor Bout, a Russian convicted in the United States of trying to sell weaponry to Colombian rebels, may appeal, his wife said Saturday.
Bout's attorneys suspect jury member Heather Hobson may have been biased as she acknowledges having seen the film "Lord of War," which is said to be based on Bout, the Russian news agency ITAR-Tass reported.
"I had seen that terrible Nicolas Cage movie, and I had no idea it was about this guy," Hobson told The New York Times.
Bout's wife Alla said defense attorney Albert Dayan "will raise this question with the federal judge next week, and we may even talk about case revision."
"The American film 'Lord of War' starring Nicolas Cage and released in 2005 slandered Viktor and destroyed his reputation," Alla Bout went on to say. "The film proved to be quite resonant, made millions [of U.S. dollars] and there are gigabytes of information and different opinions on the Internet that link the authors' plot with Viktor Bout … . Literally every article both in Russian and foreign forums said that my husband served as the prototype for the main hero."
Dayan said the defense team is "strongly disappointed by the jury's decision."
"But this is not the end. This is the beginning of our new struggle," Dayan said.
Bout was convicted Wednesday on four counts of conspiring to kill Americans, exporting anti-aircraft missiles and aiding terrorists in Colombia. He was arrested in Bangkok in 2008.
