NAGANO - A man accused of murdering four people in a brutal 2022 incident in the city of Nakano, Nagano Prefecture, was sentenced to death on October 14th, with the court rejecting arguments over his diminished mental capacity.
The Nagano District Court, presided over by Judge Masafumi Sakata, declared, "The defendant is sentenced to death," as it handed down the ruling to 34-year-old Masanori Aoki. Aoki showed no visible emotion as the sentence was read.
According to the ruling, Aoki stabbed two women who were out walking near his home with a knife and then shot two male police officers who responded to the scene with a hunting rifle. He subsequently barricaded himself inside his house, during which time reporters observed movement within the property.
Investigators determined that the killings were driven by a delusional belief stemming from Aoki’s resentment over being called "botchi" — a slang term for someone who is isolated or has no friends. After dropping out of a university in Tokyo and returning to his parents' home, Aoki had minimal contact with those around him and had previously attacked a coworker after claiming to have been called "botchi" at work.
During the standoff, he told his mother, "They were chatting and calling me 'botchi' while on their walk, so I stabbed them. The police did nothing even though I was being called 'botchi'."
The main issue at trial was whether Aoki possessed criminal responsibility. Prosecutors argued that he retained the ability to control his actions and sought the death penalty, while the defense claimed he was suffering from a diminished capacity that impaired his understanding of right and wrong.
Aoki, who had remained silent throughout the trial, declared in his final statement, "I am an otherworldly being. I came here to kill people and be sentenced to death."
In delivering the verdict, Judge Sakata concluded, "The rampage was the result of the defendant’s own will and judgment, and nothing short of the death penalty is appropriate." The defense has announced plans to appeal the ruling.
Source: TBS
