Post by sclcookie on May 30, 2006 11:06:47 GMT -5
Cult guru death sentence appeal rejected
The Tokyo High Court today rejected a defence motion appealing against the
death sentence of a former doomsday cult leader who masterminded a 1995
Tokyo underground gassing that killed 12 people.
The decision paved the way for former Aum Shinrikyo cult guru Shoko
Asahara to be executed, Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK said.
Defence lawyers were not immediately available for comment.
The Tokyo High Court had rejected the defences appeal against the death
sentence in March, prompting Asaharas lawyers to file an objection.
Todays decision overruled the objection, although NHK reported that
another appeal is possible.
Asaharas lawyers objected to the original ruling, saying it was based on a
mistaken psychiatric assessment.
Asahara, born Chizuo Matsumoto, was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to
hang for masterminding the 1995 Tokyo assault, in which members of the
doomsday group released deadly sarin gas on city trains.
(source: Ireland Online)
The Tokyo High Court today rejected a defence motion appealing against the
death sentence of a former doomsday cult leader who masterminded a 1995
Tokyo underground gassing that killed 12 people.
The decision paved the way for former Aum Shinrikyo cult guru Shoko
Asahara to be executed, Kyodo News agency and public broadcaster NHK said.
Defence lawyers were not immediately available for comment.
The Tokyo High Court had rejected the defences appeal against the death
sentence in March, prompting Asaharas lawyers to file an objection.
Todays decision overruled the objection, although NHK reported that
another appeal is possible.
Asaharas lawyers objected to the original ruling, saying it was based on a
mistaken psychiatric assessment.
Asahara, born Chizuo Matsumoto, was convicted in 2004 and sentenced to
hang for masterminding the 1995 Tokyo assault, in which members of the
doomsday group released deadly sarin gas on city trains.
(source: Ireland Online)