The Trial of the Fourteen ("Процесс 14-ти" in Russian) was a trial of fourteen members of Narodnaya Volya. It took place on September 24-28 (October 6-10), 1884 in Petersburg's district militarycourt. Vera Figner - the last member of the Executive Committee of Narodnaya Volya to remain in Russia - was the principal defendant. Other members, including Nikolai Rogachev, Mikhail Ashenbrenner, Alexander Shtromberg, N.D.Pokhitonov, A.P.Tikhanovich, Ivan Yuvachev, Lyudmila Volkenstein and others - were also put on trial. They were all accused of taking part in terrorist activities of Narodnaya Volya. Prosecution used a testimony of Sergey Degayev, who had been an agent of the Okhranka. Vera Figner's last word was even printed abroad and distributed illegally in Russia.
Two of the members of Narodnaya Volya were sentenced to death (Rogachev and Shtromberg), other five - eternal katorga, other six - 15 to 20 years of katorga, and one of them - exile to Siberia.
He contends that his trial attorney was ineffective for (1) failing to file a motion to suppress his statement to the police on the grounds that it was coerced and (2) failing to file a motion to suppress evidence that the police took from his garage without a search warrant.
On appeal, the defendant argues that the trialcourt erred in concluding both that her statement to law enforcement officers was voluntary and that the evidence against her was sufficient, as well as in allowing into evidence a videotape not produced to the defense.
He contends that trial counsel failed to provide information that was essential for him to make informed decisions in his case and failed to present an adequate defense at trial, and that the cumulative effect of the alleged deficiencies in counsel's performance was to prejudice the outcome of his case.
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