The district attorney appealed and Nakajima's case was therefore tried at the Osaka Court of Appeal (currently Osaka High Court), and as a result, on May 3, the first ruling was overturned and he was sentenced to death as well.
しかし中島は検事が控訴したことから大阪控訴院（現在の大阪高等裁判所）で審議され、5月3日に原判決を破棄し死刑判決を言い渡された。