Post by sclcookie on Jun 1, 2006 15:53:12 GMT -5
Japan court rejects appeal against Aum cult founder's death sentence
The Tokyo High Court on Tuesday rejected a defense motion against the
death sentence of the cult founder convicted over the deadly 1995 sarin
gas attack on the Tokyo subway. With the rejection to the appeal, the
death sentence of Shoko Asahara, founder of the former Aum Shinrikyo will
probably stand, Kyodo News said. The defense counsel can file a special
appeal with the top court within 5 days. If the high court decision is
upheld, Asahara's death sentence will stand without an appeal, it said.
The Tokyo High Court had rejected the defense's appeal against the death
sentence in March, prompting Asahara's lawyers to file a defense motion.
Asahara, formerly named Chizuo Matsumoto, was sentenced to death at the
Tokyo District Court in 2004 for masterminding 2 nerve-gas assaults in
Tokyo in 1995 and in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture in 1994, as well as
other criminal charges.
The gas attack on the Tokyo subway killed 12 people and left more than
5,500 others injured. In the Matsumoto attack, 7 people were killed.
About 10 other Aum Shinrikyo leaders have been sentenced to death, but
none have been executed. The Aum Shinrikyo renamed itself Aleph in January
2000 and is under surveillance of Japan's Public Safety Agency.
(source: VietNamNet News)
The Tokyo High Court on Tuesday rejected a defense motion against the
death sentence of the cult founder convicted over the deadly 1995 sarin
gas attack on the Tokyo subway. With the rejection to the appeal, the
death sentence of Shoko Asahara, founder of the former Aum Shinrikyo will
probably stand, Kyodo News said. The defense counsel can file a special
appeal with the top court within 5 days. If the high court decision is
upheld, Asahara's death sentence will stand without an appeal, it said.
The Tokyo High Court had rejected the defense's appeal against the death
sentence in March, prompting Asahara's lawyers to file a defense motion.
Asahara, formerly named Chizuo Matsumoto, was sentenced to death at the
Tokyo District Court in 2004 for masterminding 2 nerve-gas assaults in
Tokyo in 1995 and in Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture in 1994, as well as
other criminal charges.
The gas attack on the Tokyo subway killed 12 people and left more than
5,500 others injured. In the Matsumoto attack, 7 people were killed.
About 10 other Aum Shinrikyo leaders have been sentenced to death, but
none have been executed. The Aum Shinrikyo renamed itself Aleph in January
2000 and is under surveillance of Japan's Public Safety Agency.
(source: VietNamNet News)