The last trial of a member of a cult that terrorized Japan is over, paving the way for 13 members to be executed. The Supreme Court rejected the man's appeal. He was one of several people who took part in the 1995 deadly nerve gas attack on a Tokyo subway system that killed 13 people.
With the final ruling, Katsuya Takahashi will serve life in prison. He spent 17 years on the run before being arrested in 2012. He was indicted for murder and other charges in four cases including the subway gas attack.
The Aum Shinrikyo cult leader Shoko Asahara and 12 others had already been sentenced to death, but none of them have been executed because they had to testify at the trials of the other members. Now that legal action is over, their executions can go ahead. It's not clear when they will happen.
◆denote裁判、審理、公判
◆terrorize恐れさせる、脅かす
◆pave the way~への道を開く、~の準備をする
◆execute死刑にする、処刑する
◆life in prison終身刑、無期懲役刑
◆indict起訴する、告訴する
◆testify証言する
◆legal action法的措置、訴訟
◆go ahead踏み切る、決行される