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Criminal liability to be contested at Kyoto Animation arson trial

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The defense team of the man suspected of the 2019 arson attack on Japanese anime studio Kyoto Animation Co is expected to contest his criminal liability in the lay judge trial to begin in September, sources close to the case say.

On the grounds that he didn't believe the gasoline was real? As I recall he also claimed that his story was stolen. This monstrous act of revenge would seem to contradict any of his other lame excuses. This was premeditated murder.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Shinji Aoba, 45, will stand trial at the Kyoto District Court on charges including murder and arson after he allegedly set fire to the studio's premises, killing 36 people.

What's this "allegedly"? He had a motive/reason for burning the building, he knew what he needed to do, he knew what he needed , he knew how to get it, where to get it and what it does, he knew that at the time of putting his plan into action that there would be people in there, he set the fire and knew that it would inflict greivous damage to the building and its occupants. I say this because there's no reason to evaluate him for insanity or say he "allegedly" killed 36 people, some of whom had NOTHING to do with him or his targets. Because like the top comment said "This was premeditated murder!"

1 ( +3 / -2 )

This was a planned revenge attack. It wasn’t a sudden burst of temper. Of course someone has to have a few screws loose to plan and carry out such an attack. However, that does not mean they should escape responsibility.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

This is all standard defence team BS tactics, no surprises here.

Definitely premeditated murder and Aoba should, and probably will, swing for it.

Media uses the word "allegedly" so as not to be accused of playing judge and jury before the court hearing.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It was a premeditated attack.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

While I believe that everyone has the right to a legal defense (to keep a check on the justice system), I can not imagine how the defense lawyer feel, trying to find an angle to excuse this murderous creep.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Mass murder killer of 36 dead. I haer "allegedly" got a lotta guilty charges on the way.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Many people criticize the long and complicated process to conduct criminals psychologic evaluations, but in cases like this is where the results are (or should be) so valuable. One of the functions is to prove the criminalis competent enough to stand trial and also determine their criminal responsibility.

If the prosecution did their jobs properly the defense contesting the liability of the accused is not going to amount for much.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The use of "allegedly" is a standard journalistic practice as the accused has not been convicted of the crime(s) with which he/she has been charged at the time of the writing of the article.

That being said, I hope he is found guilty on all counts. What he did was monstrous.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Not gonna lie: while I generally oppose capital punishment (because there's no "do over" if the system gets it wrong), in cases of overwhelming confidence of guilt and for a sufficiently heinous crime, I'm all for it. From everything I've read about the case against Aoba, this is such a situation. I'll cheer out loud when this mass murderer swings.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's a fresh breeze to read the word allegedly.

It honors the presumption of innocence.

He is not a criminal until a jury says so.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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