BABBLING GURU THROUGH:

Asahara death sentence appeal foiled: Insanity motion fails; top court still an option (MAYUMI NEGISHI, 3/28/06, Japan Times)

The Tokyo High Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara, increasing the likelihood the guru's death sentence for masterminding the deadly 1995 gassing of the Tokyo subway system and other murders will stand without further sessions.

After effectively giving Asahara's counsel extra time to submit appeal documents after they "missed" last August's deadline because of what they claimed was an inability to communicate with the babbling guru, the court decided Monday the foot-dragging had to come to an end and said there was no excuse for the delay.

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 27, 2006 8:15 PM