The Tokyo High Court lashed out at Shoko Asahara's defense team Friday, saying they were harming the Aum Shinrikyo founder's interests by not submitting a document explaining why they sought to appeal his death sentence.
The defense team had the explanatory documents in hand when they met Wednesday with Masaru Suda, the presiding judge in the case, but refused to submit them when the court rejected their request to be present at Asahara's psychiatric test and to question any doctor who examines him.
The lawyers have repeatedly said they have been unable to communicate with the guru, who earlier reports said was in a babbling, diaper-clad stupor.