Ex-Aum
member Hayashi loses appeal against death
sentence
Saturday, February 16, 2008
TOKYO — The Supreme Court on Friday rejected an appeal
against the death sentence for former Aum Shinrikyo cult
member Yasuo Hayashi, who was convicted of murder for
releasing deadly sarin gas in a Tokyo subway car in 1995
and involvement in another sarin attack in Nagano
Prefecture.
Hayashi, 50, will follow four others who have had death
sentences finalized in connection with a series of crimes
committed by the group including Aum founder Shoko Asahara,
52, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto. According to the
ruling, Hayashi conspired with Matsumoto and others in
perpetrating the deadly gas attack on the Tokyo subway
system in March 1995. Twelve people were killed and more
than 5,000 were injured in the attack. (Kyodo News)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Former senior member of AUM cult asks top court to spare
him death penalty
（Mainichi
Japan）
December 14, 2007
Defense
lawyers for a former senior member of the AUM Shinrikyo
cult who was convicted of murder in the 1995 deadly gas
attacks on the Tokyo subway system demanded the Supreme
Court spare him the death penalty.
Yasuo Hayashi, 49, was sentenced to death in lower court
rulings. His lawyers concluded their appeal at the Supreme
Court on Friday. A date for the ruling will be announced
later.
Hayashi was accused of murder and other crimes following
three cases including the March 1995 sarin gas attacks on
the Tokyo subway system and the June 1994 sarin gas attack
in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture.
In the 1995 subway attack, Hayashi took three plastic bags
containing sarin with him and scattered the deadly gas on
the subway system. The attacks, conducted by Hayashi and
other cult members, left 12 people dead.
During the trial on Friday, defense lawyers for Hayashi
demanded the top court spare him capital punishment,
saying, "The defendant feared he would be harmed if he
failed to commit the crimes."
Prosecutors, meanwhile, demanded that the court dismiss the
appeal.
オウム裁判：林被告の上告審が結審 死刑回避を主張
地下鉄サリンの散布役で、松本サリン事件にも関与したとして殺人罪などに問われ、１、２審で死刑判決を受けた元オウム真理教幹部、林泰男被告（４９）の上告審弁論が１４日、最高裁第２小法廷（古田佑紀裁判長）であった。弁護側は「犯行を断って危害を加えられることを恐れ、従属的立場で関与していた」などと死刑回避を求めた。検察側は上告棄却を主張して結審した。判決期日は後日指定される。【高倉友彰】