Post by CCADP on Aug 20, 2005 9:06:34 GMT -5
Death row cultist to get mental evaluation
The Tokyo High Court is set to conduct a psychiatric evaluation of AUM Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara who has appealed a lower court ruling that sentenced him to death for masterminding crimes including subway gassing, his defense lawyers said.
The appeal court made the decision in order to see if Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, is fit to stand trial. The evaluation is expected to take several months to complete.
However, the court dismissed a request by his defense lawyer that the trial be suspended because of his mental problems.
In requesting the court to suspend his trial, the defense lawyer submitted to the court a psychiatrist's opinion that he should be treated for a mental disorder.
"He cannot communicate with others because he suffers mental problems as a result of being detained. There is a high possibility that he will recover if he undergoes treatment at an appropriate institution," the psychiatrist said.
On the other hand, prosecutors have submitted an opinion pointing out that the guru is pretending to be ill.
Asahara and 12 other members of the cult have been sentenced to death for the subway gassing and other crimes. On March 20, 1995, five members of AUM Shinrikyo released sarin nerve gas on subway trains in downtown Tokyo, killing 12 people and sickening thousands of others.
The cult also released sarin in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, in 1994 and murdered anti-AUM lawyer Tsutsumi Sakamoto, his wife and their infant son in 1989. (Mainichi)
The Tokyo High Court is set to conduct a psychiatric evaluation of AUM Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara who has appealed a lower court ruling that sentenced him to death for masterminding crimes including subway gassing, his defense lawyers said.
The appeal court made the decision in order to see if Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, is fit to stand trial. The evaluation is expected to take several months to complete.
However, the court dismissed a request by his defense lawyer that the trial be suspended because of his mental problems.
In requesting the court to suspend his trial, the defense lawyer submitted to the court a psychiatrist's opinion that he should be treated for a mental disorder.
"He cannot communicate with others because he suffers mental problems as a result of being detained. There is a high possibility that he will recover if he undergoes treatment at an appropriate institution," the psychiatrist said.
On the other hand, prosecutors have submitted an opinion pointing out that the guru is pretending to be ill.
Asahara and 12 other members of the cult have been sentenced to death for the subway gassing and other crimes. On March 20, 1995, five members of AUM Shinrikyo released sarin nerve gas on subway trains in downtown Tokyo, killing 12 people and sickening thousands of others.
The cult also released sarin in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, in 1994 and murdered anti-AUM lawyer Tsutsumi Sakamoto, his wife and their infant son in 1989. (Mainichi)