 His trial began in Grozny at the end of 2003, and at first he reportedly has not attended any of the hearings because he claimed he suffered a mental illness.However, according to reports, he was first dismissed from OMON, but later reinstated as a police officer in the city of Nizhnevartovsk.Reportedly, Lapin was also awarded a medal "for protecting public order" accompanied by a letter signed by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.