An appeal against the acquittal of Takeshi Abe on a charge of causing a patient's death will probably not be heard because the former HIV expert has been judged mentally incompetent.
A lawyer for Abe said Tuesday the Tokyo High Court will probably stop hearing the appeal by prosecutors.
He said a psychiatric examination by a Keio University Hospital doctor commissioned by the court has found that Abe "does not have the ability to discern good from bad."