The trial of Aum Shinrikyo founder Shoko Asahara is unprecedented both in the nature of the crimes involved and the way the court proceedings have progressed.
Just one day before his trial was to open in October 1995 at the Tokyo District Court, Asahara dismissed his sole defense lawyer, delaying the start of the trial by six months.
And since the trial began, Asahara has yet to officially enter a plea. At one point, though, he made inconsistent remarks in court, saying he would "shoulder all the blame" and shortly afterward claiming he was "completely innocent."
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