Russkaya Pravda
In Kievan Rus', "smerdy" were peasants who gradually lost their freedom (partially or completely) and whose legal status differed from group to group. Unlike slaves, they had their own property and had to pay fines for their delinquencies, legally the "smerds" never possessed full rights; killing of a "smerd" was punished by the same fine as killing of a "kholop" (similarly to a slave). The property of the deceased was inherited by the "knyaz" (prince). The "Russkaya Pravda" forbade torturing "smerds" during court examination without consent of the "knyaz".