Shoko Asahara, leader of the Aum Shinri Kyo cult (Supreme...

Shoko Asahara, leader of the Aum Shinri Kyo cult (Supreme Truth Sect), stood in court for the 148th time on charges of masterminding the March 20, 1995 gas attack. The trial began in 1995. If convicted, Asahara is likely to be sentenced to death by hanging, the maximum penalty for murder. In addition to the subway gassing, Asahara, whose real name is Chizuo Matsumoto, also faced 16 other charges, including the planning of a separate nerve gas attack in 1994 in which seven people were killed and 144 injured.