Ichihashi wants parents kept out

CHIBA (Kyodo) Tatsuya Ichihashi, suspected in the murder of English teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, has asked his lawyers not to contact his parents and is not seeking their support, the attorneys said Monday.

The lawyers told a news conference they have been visiting the 30-year-old Ichihashi every day since Nov. 11, the day after he was apprehended. He made the request during their first visit, they said.

"Ichihashi looks very tired and confused because it is only days after his arrest," Yasushi Sugeno, one of the three lawyers said, adding they brought him some clothes Monday at his request.

The lawyers did not disclose any legal details from their conversations with Ichihashi. They plan to add three more lawyers to the defense team.

Investigative authorities said Ichihashi has been keeping silent about the allegations against him and about his life on the run for more than 2 1/2 years.

Authorities said he did not eat any food and was only drinking tea in the days after his arrest. The lawyers said they weren't sure if Ichihashi had eaten as of Monday, but they are leaving that up to him.

"He said that he's OK," Sugeno said.

The lawyers said they filed a request with the police in Gyotoku, Chiba Prefecture, and the Chiba District Public Prosecutor's Office to make audio and video recordings of all interrogation proceedings. It isn't known whether authorities have agreed to their request.