Russia Stalls on Pussy Riot Appeal

The hearing set for today in the Pussy Riot case has been postponed until Oct. 10, CNN reports. The Russian court moved the hearing following a band member's announcement in court today that a disagreement had prompted her to fire her lawyers. Yekaterina Samutsevich said she'd found a new lawyer but hasn't signed a contract with the attorney, the AP reports. Prosecutors accused Samutsevich of seeking to delay the legal process.

The Russian Orthodox Church yesterday changed its tune on the case, calling for clemency for the political punk rockers if they're willing to repent. But their lawyers say there's no way the band members will acknowledge guilt, the BBC reports. If the church means "repentance in the sense of a crime... it definitely won't happen. Our clients won't admit guilt. A call for that is pointless," says one. (More Pussy Riot stories.)