Kyodo News Service, Japan
Nov. 29, 2004
home.kyodo.co.jp

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 9555 • Posted: Monday November 29, 2004  

---

TOKYO, Nov. 29–(Kyodo) - Defense lawyers for AUM Shinrikyo cult founder Shoko Asahara said Monday they have asked the Tokyo High Court to suspend his appeal case on the grounds that he is incompetent to stand trial.

The lawyers told a news conference they have met with Asahara, 49, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, more than 30 times since July but he never gave any reaction when they spoke to him.

A psychiatrist, who met with Asahara at the lawyers’ request, has submitted his opinion to the court that the defendant may be suffering from a brain disorder or a legitimate mental disorder caused by his long detention, or that he may simply be pretending or observing silence as part of some sort of religious activity. The psychiatrist said Asahara should undergo a full mental competency evaluation.

Takeshi Matsui, one of the two lawyers for Asahara, said, “We have serious reservations about proceeding with the trial without having him tested for illness or giving him any medical treatment.”

Asahara was sentenced to death at the Tokyo District Court in February over 13 cases, including the deadly 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway system.

Asahara’s 12-member defense team, all state-appointed lawyers, immediately appealed to the Tokyo High Court as a matter of course, though Asahara himself has shown no willingness to appeal.

Despite this move, however, the lawyers refrained from actually defending Asahara in the appeal, and this was done by Matsui, who represented two daughters of Asahara.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Aum Shinrikyo Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Aum Shinrikyo Read Another Article Previous entry: Top Hindu seer has confessed to murder, says prosecutor Next entry: UFO Cult Names Eminem ‘Honorary Priest’ RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Aum Shinrikyo Most Popular Today Couple bites and bludgeons 13-month old to death in ‘exorcism’ Child welfare officials show up at Tony Alamo compound in California; Arkansas officials seize 6 more children How Scientologists pressurise publishers Guard who killed sword-wielder at Scientology center won’t face charges

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.