Defense Attorney for Tokyo Subway Sarin Mastermind Seeks Open Psychiatric Hearing

Defense attorneys for the cult leader found guilty of organizing the 1995 sarin attack on the Tokyo subway system yesterday requested an open hearing with the psychiatrist who determined their client was fit to stand trial, Kyodo News reported (see GSN, March 1).

Lawyers for Shoko Asahara, founder of the cult formerly known as Aum Shinrikyo, also recommended two psychiatrists to re-examine their client. The defense provided a written opinion by an expert who met Asahara last month and who questioned the report by a court psychiatrist judging Asahara competent to stand trial on appeal. The lawyers have asked a total of six outside psychiatrists to examine Asahara and said they would submit similar documents from the other five.

Asahara’s death sentence is unlikely to be overturned unless the court concludes he is mentally incompetent, according to Kyodo (Kyodo News/Yahoo!News, March 1).

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