"The court places a great deal of emphasis on the compliant attitude of the defendant."

The casual attitude of the defendants appeared to puzzle even the Revolutionary Court judge, who ordered psychiatric evaluations of the eight defendants earlier this week.

The attitude of the defendants in the espionage trial in Shiraz has also puzzled many observers, including their lawyers, say human rights activists and foreign diplomats monitoring the intensely watched trial.

"The state presented 'half-truths' as to a callous or uncaring attitude of the defendant without portraying the full picture as to Mr. Williams's concern for the victim," the papers say.