JAPAN: MAN ACCEPTS DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING 2 RELATIVES

a 26 year old Japanese man withdrew his appeal against the death penalty imposed on him for killing two relatives and stealing their money, the Kyoto District Court said. Kyozo Matsumura's death sentence immediately became final as the defendant himself, not his lawyer, had filed the appeal, court officials said. Matsumura was sentenced to death at the district court on March 31, 2008, after being found guilty of murdering his 57 year old aunt and 72 year old granduncle in separate incidents. In filing the appeal at the Osaka High Court on March 31, Matsumura had told his lawyer that he needed time to send mail to friends and to sort out his personal affairs. Matsumura told his lawyer ''I will withdraw the appeal in a week or two.''