TOKYO, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Nagano District Court on Tuesday sentenced a 34-year-old man to death for the killing of four people, including two local women and two police officers in Nakano City in 2023.
The defendant was found guilty of stabbing two residents of the city, and shooting two policemen from the Nakano Police Station with a hunting rifle when they responded to the emergency call in May 2023.
The prosecution had sought the death penalty, arguing that he had complete criminal responsibility, while the defense claimed he was in a state of diminished mental capacity and should be spared execution, national broadcaster NHK reported.
The court determined that the man committed the crimes and was fully responsible for his actions, saying the killings were an extremely cruel and inhumane act and that there is no room for leniency, according to the report.
