Aum founder to get psychiatric exam

Kyodo News Service in Japan Today/August 20, 2005

Tokyo -- The Tokyo High Court said Friday it plans to have Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara, who is appealing a lower court death sentence, go through a psychiatric examination to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.

Presiding Judge Masaru Suda said the court decided not to approve requests from the defense counsel to suspend his trial until his mental condition improves and to extend the deadline for the submission of a document stating the reason for appeal beyond Aug 31.