The 12 defense lawyers for Aum Supreme Truth founder Chizuo Matsumoto were paid a combined 452 million yen--more than any other team of court-appointed lawyers representing a single defendant--The Yomiuri Shimbun learned Monday.
The 49-year-old Matsumoto--also known as Shoko Asahara--was sentenced to death by the Tokyo District Court on Feb. 27 after being found guilty on 13 charges at the end of a trial that involved 257 hearings over seven years and 10 months. Matsumoto is currently appealing the sentence.
The sum spent on Matsumoto's lawyers dwarfs the 47 million yen paid to the four court-assigned defense attorneys who acted for Shigeru Yagi, who was sentenced to death in October 2002 for murdering two people and attempting to murder a third for their life insurance policies. The trial of Yagi, who also is appealing the sentence, involved 90 hearings.