The case will now be heard on 22 March after two court appointed lawyers failed to turn up at court, having asked the court to postpone the hearing until May. According to the BBC, the lawyers had sent a note to the judge complaining that the timetable was not properly ageed and asked that it be adjourned until May to allow them to read the 60 volumes of evidence against Mr Magnitsky. 

Investigation into tax evasion

Mr Magnitsky died in prison in 2009 after he undertook an investigation into claims that his former employer Bill Browder, founder of Hermitage Capital , had been refused a visa to enter Russia over tax evasion.  He accused police and tax officials of a multi million dollar tax fraud  but was himself arrested and charged.  He died in prison after not receiving essential medical treatment for pancreatitis.

Deterioration in diplomatic relations

The trial has led to a deterioration in relations between the US and Russia with the US passing legislation last year against Russians involved in Mr Magnitsky’s death and Russia has passed legislation stopping Americans from adopting Russian orphans.