Annotation

The article is devoted to the study of the deep-seated contradiction between the criminal law assessment of an unfinished crime and the moral dimension of a human act. This problem is examined on the basis of a fictional work (a novella), the plot of which is based on an attempted murder that failed due to a technical malfunction of the weapon. In this article, the author explores the relationship between the strictness of the law and the need for mercy, focusing on the limits of the applicability of formal norms in situations that require individual justice. The central question posed in the article is whether genuine justice can be achieved solely through the criminal law, even when the victim demonstrates a willingness to reconcile and forgive.