Japan's 'Black Widow' gets death sentence for killing lovers
Chisako Kakehi
Image caption Chisako Kakehi  is said to be suffering from dementia
 Chisako Kakehi  is accused of using cyanide to kill  her  lovers and make millions from insurance payouts.  Her  lawyers plan to appeal the sentence.
Prosecutors said  she  targeted wealthy men who were mostly elderly or sick.
 She  became known in Japanese media as the Black Widow  after the female spider which kills its mates after sex.
Kyoto District Court ruled that Chisako Kakehi used cyanide "with a murderous intention" in the four cases  and that  she  should be held responsible for the crimes even though  she  had been diagnosed with dementia.
 Kakehi   who was wearing a hearing aid and asked the judge to speak loudly during the proceedings  showed no emotion when the sentence was handed down.
 Ms Kakehi  was accused of murdering  her  fourth husband  75-year-old Isao Kakehi  on 28 December 2013  a month after they got married.
 She  was also accused of killing two other boyfriends  aged between 70 and 80  and the attempted murder and robbery of another boyfriend - who later died of cancer - between 2007 and 2013.
The trial heard that  she  had joined matchmaking services in which  she  had specifically requested to meet men who were rich and childless.
 She  reportedly inherited around one billion yen ($8.8 million) in all  although  she  later lost some of it through the stock market.
During the 135 day trial  Kakehi  appeared to admit killing  Isao Kakehi   saying  he  had not treated  her  well financially  but later retracted it.
 Her  lawyers said at the time that  her  testimony could not be trusted because of  her  dementia. They have appealed against the death sentence to a higher court  arguing that  her  dementia means  she  cannot be held criminally liable.
"Image caption Chisako Kakehi  is said to be suffering from dementia
[TGT]is accused of using cyanide to kill  [TGT]  lovers and make millions from insurance payouts.  [TGT]  lawyers plan to appeal the sentence.
Prosecutors said  [TGT]  targeted wealthy men who were mostly elderly or sick.
 [TGT]  became known in Japanese media as the Black Widow  after the female spider which kills its mates after sex.
Kyoto District Court ruled that [TGT] used cyanide "with a murderous intention" in the four cases  and that  [TGT]  should be held responsible for the crimes even though  [TGT]  had been diagnosed with dementia.
 Kakehi   who was wearing a hearing aid and asked the judge to speak loudly during the proceedings  showed no emotion when the sentence was handed down.
 [TGT]was accused of murdering  [TGT]  fourth husband  75-year-old Isao Kakehi  on 28 December 2013  a month after they got married.
 She  was also accused of killing two other boyfriends  aged between 70 and 80  and the attempted murder and robbery of another boyfriend - who later died of cancer - between 2007 and 2013.
The trial heard that  she  had joined matchmaking services in which  she  had specifically requested to meet men who were rich and childless.
 She  reportedly inherited around one billion yen ($8.8 million) in all  although  she  later lost some of it through the stock market.
During the 135 day trial  [TGT]appeared to admit killing  [TGT]saying  [TGT]  had not treated  [TGT]  well financially  but later retracted it.
 [TGT]  lawyers said at the time that  [TGT]  testimony could not be trusted because of  [TGT]  dementia. They have appealed against the death sentence to a higher court  arguing that  [TGT]  dementia means  [TGT]  cannot be held criminally liable."