Hayashi Sumio
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)
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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】