A key Aum Shinrikyo figure was sentenced to death Friday for playing an important role in the murders of an anticult lawyer, the lawyer's family and another member who wanted to leave the cult.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Kaoru Kanayama said Kiyohide Hayakawa, 51, deserves to hang despite his lawyers' call for a lighter sentence because he was acting on the orders of Aum founder Shoko Asahara, 45.
"Even if he was merely a puppet of Asahara, he cannot escape his grave criminal responsibility, considering the nature of his crimes, their motives, style, impact on society and the victims' sentiments," the judge said.