Maizuru Murder Case
Defendant: Naka Katsumi
~~~~ 2012/12/12 Acquitted! ~~~~~ |
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Man acquitted of schoolgirl murder
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December 12, 2012(Mainichi Japan)
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Kyodo
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OSAKA — The Osaka High Court on Wednesday acquitted a 64-year-old man in the May 2008 murder of a high school girl in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, overturning a lower court conviction.
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The Kyoto District Court in May 2011 sentenced Katsumi Naka to life for murdering Miho Kosugi, 15, while attempting to molest her. He was convicted partly on the basis of facts that only the murderer could have known.
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In Wednesday's decision, however, presiding Judge Masayuki Kawai said there were no facts presented that would have been known only to the culprit.
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The judge acknowledged the testimony of one of the two eyewitnesses that indicated the defendant was with the victim before she was killed. But he said the testimony of another eyewitness was not reliable, noting descriptions of the victim's clothes and appearance were initially vague.
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Regarding the defendant's deposition about the victim's makeup pouch and underwear — the basis of the lower court's conviction — the high court pointed out the defendant could have guessed or been coached to offer the details during the course of a police grilling.
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Man acquitted of murdering high school girl in retrial
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December 12, 2012(Mainichi Japan)
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OSAKA -- The Osaka High Court on Dec. 12 overturned a lower court ruling that had sentenced a 64-year-old man to life-imprisonment over the killing of a 15-year-old girl in 2008, finding him not guilty of murder.
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Acquitted of the killing of 15-year-old Miho Kosugi was Katsumi Naka, 64. Naka had protested his innocence while public prosecutors had sought the death penalty.
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No weapons or other physical evidence were found in the case, and the focus of Naka's trial had been on circumstantial evidence. An earlier district court ruling accepted details presented by public prosecutors, including an eyewitness's testimony that Naka had been seen with Kosugi near the time of the killing and his deposition showing that he had provided details of her belongings during the investigation stage of the case, and sentenced him to life imprisonment.
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In an appeal hearing in June, lawyers for Naka noted that the man who said he had seen Naka changed his explanation, and argued that Naka had been coaxed by investigators when he made statements during the investigation stage. They accordingly argued that he was innocent.
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Public prosecutors, on the other hand, said there no mistakes in the district court ruling and that Naka should be handed the death penalty.
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Naka had stood accused of killing Kosuki, a first-year student at a high school, in the Kyoto Prefecture city of Maizuru, on May 7, 2008, with the intention of sexually molesting her.
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Guilty ruling overturned in Kyoto murder
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OSAKA (Jiji Press)--The Osaka High Court overturned a lower court ruling Wednesday to find Katsumi Naka, 64, not guilty of the 2008 murder of a 15-year-old high school girl in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture.
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Presiding Judge Masayuki Kawaai said, "Reasonable doubt remains about finding him guilty." Naka was released from jail Wednesday afternoon.
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The Kyoto District Court in May last year sentenced Naka to life in prison for murder and indecent assault resulting in the death of Miho Kosugi.
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(Dec. 13, 2012)
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~~~~~~~~~~
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Man acquitted of schoolgirl murder
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Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012
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Kyodo
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OSAKA — The Osaka High Court on Wednesday acquitted a 64-year-old man in the May 2008 murder of a high school girl in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, overturning a lower court conviction.
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The Kyoto District Court in May 2011 sentenced Katsumi Naka to life for murdering Miho Kosugi, 15, while attempting to molest her. He was convicted partly on the basis of facts that only the murderer could have known.
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In Wednesday's decision, however, presiding Judge Masayuki Kawai said there were no facts presented that would have been known only to the culprit.
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The judge acknowledged the testimony of one of the two eyewitnesses that indicated the defendant was with the victim before she was killed. But he said the testimony of another eyewitness was not reliable, noting descriptions of the victim's clothes and appearance were initially vague.
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Regarding the defendant's deposition about the victim's makeup pouch and underwear — the basis of the lower court's conviction — the high court pointed out the defendant could have guessed or been coached to offer the details during the course of a police grilling.
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~~~~~~~~~~
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| Prosecutors Appeal for Death |
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Prosecutors to appeal against life term over murder of Kyoto student
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Tuesday 31st May,
KYOTO —
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The Kyoto District Prosecutors Office has decided to lodge an appeal with the Osaka High Court against the life sentence given to a 62-year-old man for the murder of a female high school student in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, in 2008, sources close to the matter said Monday.
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Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for Katsumi Naka for killing Miho Kosugi, 15, as he attempted to molest her on her way home on May 7, 2008. Naka, who had pleaded not guilty, lodged an appeal with the high court the day he was sentenced to life in prison by the Kyoto District Court in its May 18 ruling. Prosecutors will finalize the decision by Wednesday, the due date for lodging an appeal, the sources said.
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| 2011/05/18 Guilty: Sentenced to Life Imprisonment |
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Man given life term for murder of high school girl
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KYOTO (Kyodo) -- The Kyoto District Court on Wednesday sentenced a 62-year-old man to life in prison for murdering a female high school student in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, in May 2008.
Katsumi Naka denied that he had murdered Miho Kosugi, 15, while attempting to molest her, but Presiding Judge Akiyoshi Sasano said, "There is no doubt that the defendant is the culprit."
"It was a cruel crime for the purpose of sexual molestation and the defendant denied a 15-year-old girl of her future without reason," Sasano said.
Prosecutors had sought the death penalty.
While the prosecutors did not present any direct evidence linking Naka to the crime, such as a murder weapon or fingerprints, they argued that footage from a surveillance camera near the scene of the crime and the testimonies of two eyewitnesses indicated he was with the victim immediately before she was killed.
His defense counsel argued that the quality of the video footage did not allow for the person in it to be identified and that the witness testimonies were unreliable.
But the court rejected the defense claims.
Naka murdered Kosugi while she was on her way home on May 7, 2008, by beating her head and face with a blunt object in a wooded area in Maizuru, according to the ruling.
As he was indicted before the introduction of the lay judge system, his case was only examined by three professional judges.
Naka was initially arrested for theft, but police searched his home over the murder case, stirring criticism that the theft charges were used to gather evidence for the murder investigation.
(Mainichi Japan) May 19, 2011
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舞鶴高１殺害、中被告に無期懲役判決 京都地裁
2011
年
5
月
18
日
19
時
25
分
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京都府舞鶴市で２００８年５月、府立高校１年の小杉美穂さん（当時１５）が殺害された事件で、殺人と強制わいせつ致死の罪に問われた無職中（なか）勝美被告（６２）の判決が１８日、京都地裁であった。笹野明義裁判長は「被告が犯人であることに疑いはなく、１５歳の命を奪った結果は重大だ」として被告側の無罪主張を退け、無期懲役（求刑死刑）を言い渡した。被告側は控訴する方針。
判決によると、中被告は０８年５月７日未明、偶然出会った被害者に舞鶴市の朝来（あせく）川岸付近でわいせつ行為をしたうえ、顔や頭を鈍器で何度も殴って殺害した。被告は０９年４月の逮捕から一貫して否認。被告と事件を直接結びつける証拠がないまま、裁判員制度導入直前の同月末に起訴された。
判決は、現場近くの道路を歩く被告に似た男と若い女性を見たとする地元住民の証言と、道路に設置された３カ所の防犯カメラの画像を踏まえ、「証言とカメラの画像から認められる男女の特徴は矛盾せず、一緒に歩く男女は被告と被害者だ」と判断した。
そのうえで被告が被害者を殺害したかどうか検討。捜査段階で被告が「知人男性が被害者のポーチや衣類を川に捨てるのを見た」とした供述について、「ポーチの色や形状は公表されておらず、こうした特徴を知るのは犯人のほかに考えられない」と指摘。「取調官の誘導で供述した」「別の人物が殺害した」とした被告側の主張を退けた
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～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～
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京都・舞鶴の女子高生殺害：直接証拠ないまま－－あす判決
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◇検察、３点セットで立証
◇弁護側、全面無罪を主張
京都府舞鶴市で０８年に府立高１年の女子生徒が殺害された事件で、殺人と強制わいせつ致死の罪に問われた中勝美（なかかつみ）被告（６２）に対する判決が１８日午後３時、京都地裁で言い渡される。別の窃盗容疑で逮捕され、起訴直後に府警が殺人などの容疑で自宅に家宅捜索に入るなど異例の展開をたどったが、被告と事件を結びつける直接的証拠はないままだ。検察側は状況証拠を積み重ねて死刑を求刑し、被告側は無罪を主張している。【古屋敷尚子】
事件発生から約半年後の０８年１１月１５日、府警は中被告をさい銭などの窃盗容疑で逮捕。起訴２日後の同２８日、弁護人立ち会いの下、６日間連続で殺人・死体遺棄容疑で自宅を家宅捜索した。物証は見つからなかったが０９年４月、府警は殺人などの容疑で逮捕。裁判員制度が始まる約１カ月前に起訴された。
検察側立証のよりどころは▽現場から３００メートル離れた地点で「被告に似た男が若い女性といるのを見た」とする証言▽男女とみられる２人が映った現場近くの防犯ビデオの画像について、「被告に極めて似ている」とする鑑定▽「知人が被害者のポーチや化粧品を捨てるのを見た」と被告が遺留品の詳細を供述したこと－－の３点。
落ち度のない少女をわいせつ目的で襲ったという動機▽鈍器でめった打ちにし、遺体を埋めるなどした手口▽更生可能性▽遺族感情－－などから「被害者が１人でも死刑を回避する事情にはならない」と極刑を求めた。
弁護側は、目撃証言やビデオ画像の鑑定の信用性を全面的に争い、被害者の遺留品に関して「検察官は実際の遺留品に合致する供述だけを調書にしている」などと反論。「状況証拠の中に被告が犯人でなければ説明できない事実はない」と無罪を主張している。
◇「状況証拠、質が焦点」
甲南大法科大学院の渡辺修教授（刑事訴訟法）は「状況証拠の検討から犯行状況が浮かび上がるかが問題で、証拠の質が決め手だ。今回は犯行前の状況証拠に偏り、証拠の質も良いとは言えないのではないか」と見ている。
＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
■ことば
◇舞鶴女子高生殺害事件
京都府舞鶴市の府立高校１年の女子高生（当時１５歳）が０８年５月６日夜、自宅を出てから行方不明になり、同８日、約７キロ離れた雑木林で遺体で発見された。顔などを激しく殴打され失血死だった。府警は同年１１月、現場近くに住む中勝美被告を窃盗容疑で逮捕。同罪での実刑判決後の０９年４月、殺人などの容疑で逮捕し、京都地検が殺人と強制わいせつ致死の罪で起訴した。中被告は一貫して否認している。
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～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～
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舞鶴女子高生殺害：１８日に判決 状況証拠から死刑求刑
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京都府舞鶴市で０８年に府立高１年の女子生徒が殺害された事件で、殺人と強制わいせつ致死の罪に問われた中勝美（なか・かつみ）被告（６２）に対する判決が１８日午後３時、京都地裁で言い渡される。別の窃盗容疑で逮捕され、起訴直後に府警が殺人などの容疑で自宅に家宅捜索に入るなど異例の展開をたどったが、被告と事件を結びつける直接的証拠はないままだ。検察側は状況証拠を積み重ねて死刑を求刑し、被告側は無罪を主張している。
事件発生から約半年後の０８年１１月１５日、府警は中被告をさい銭などの窃盗容疑で逮捕。起訴２日後の同２８日、弁護人立ち会いの下、６日間連続で殺人・死体遺棄容疑で自宅を家宅捜索した。物証は見つからなかったが０９年４月、府警は殺人などの容疑で逮捕。裁判員制度が始まる約１カ月前に起訴された。
検察側の立証のよりどころは▽現場から約３００メートル離れた地点で「被告に似た男が若い女性といるのを見た」とする目撃証言▽男女とみられる２人が映った現場近くの防犯ビデオの画像について、「被告に極めて似ている」とする鑑定▽「知人が被害者のポーチや化粧品を捨てるのを見た」と被告が遺留品の詳細を供述したこと－－の３点。
落ち度のない少女をわいせつ目的で襲ったという動機▽鈍器でめった打ちにし、遺体を埋めるなどした手口▽更生可能性▽遺族感情－－などから「被害者が１人でも死刑を回避する事情にはならない」として極刑を求めた。
弁護側は、目撃証言やビデオ画像の鑑定の信用性を全面的に争い、被害者の遺留品に関して「検察官は実際の遺留品に合致する供述だけを調書にしている」などと反論。「状況証拠の中に被告が犯人でなければ説明できない事実はない」と無罪を主張している。【古屋敷尚子】
毎日新聞
2011
年
5
月
16
日
21
時
44
分（最終更新
5
月
16
日
22
時
59
分）
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| 2011/05/16 Pretrial Publicity (Japanese) |
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舞鶴・高１殺害
１８日判決 状況証拠
対立の構図
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被告は無罪主張
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京都府舞鶴市で２００８年５月に起きた女子高生殺害事件で、高校１年小杉美穂さん（当時１５歳）に対する殺人、強制わいせつ致死両罪に問われた中勝美被告（６２）の判決が１８日、京都地裁で言い渡される。犯行と直接結びつく物証がなく、検察側は状況証拠を積み重ねて死刑を求刑した。中被告は全面否認し、無罪を主張している。判決が状況証拠による立証をどう判断するのか注目される。
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検察側
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立証の柱は〈１〉現場付近で中被告と被害者が一緒にいたとの目撃証言〈２〉２人が映っていたとする防犯カメラの画像鑑定〈３〉非公開の遺留品の特徴を供述したとする「秘密の暴露」の３点だ。
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公判で、目撃した男性２人は「被告に間違いない」と述べ、画像鑑定した大学教授も「男は、耳や顎の形などから被告と同一人物の可能性が高い」とした。
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中被告は供述で、被害者のピンク色の化粧ポーチを「ベージュ」と説明しており、この点について色彩工学専門の大学教授は「暗所ではベージュに見えることもある」と証言。検察側は「犯行時間帯の夜間にポーチを見た犯人しか知り得ない情報」と主張した。
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論告で検察側は「残虐極まりない犯行」とし、被告が過去に２人を殺害したことにも触れて、「反省は皆無。矯正も困難」と述べた。被害者１人でも、最高裁が死刑適用を判示した「永山基準」を満たすとして死刑を求めた。
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弁護側
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弁護側は、検察側の立証を真っ向から否定した。
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中被告が被害者と一緒にいたとの目撃証言には、「曖昧だ。被告と面識がないうえ、見えにくい夜間で、信用性は極めて低い」と反論。目撃者の１人が当初、男を「若者」と証言したのも「（証言の変遷が）不合理」と指摘した。
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防犯カメラの画像は、「極めて不鮮明で、人物を識別できない」とする別の専門家の鑑定結果や意見書を基に、「証拠価値は低い」とした。「秘密の暴露」とされた供述について、中被告は「警察官らに誘導された」と訴えた。最終弁論で弁護側は「被告が犯人との立証は尽くされていない」と述べ、中被告も「私は無実です」と改めて主張した。
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立証基準
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状況証拠を巡っては、最高裁が昨年４月、大阪市の母子殺害事件で「被告が犯人でなければ説明できない事実が状況証拠に含まれることが必要」との立証基準を示し、１審・無期懲役、２審・死刑の判決を破棄し、大阪地裁に差し戻した。
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鹿児島地裁の裁判員裁判では昨年１２月、この基準を踏まえ、高齢夫婦殺害事件の判決で「捜査に疑問が残る」と判断、死刑を求刑された被告を無罪とした。一方、大津地裁の裁判員裁判では同月、滋賀県米原市の女性殺害事件で、多くの状況証拠が「被告と犯人を結びつけている」と、懲役１７年を言い渡した。
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中被告は裁判員制度の導入前に起訴され、職業裁判官が審理を行った。板倉宏・日大名誉教授（刑法）は「状況証拠の積み重ねで有罪となった事件は多い。最高裁の立証基準がこの事件の判断に影響するとは思えない。画像や目撃証言から犯人性の立証は可能」とする。
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園田寿・甲南大法科大学院教授（同）は「防犯カメラの画像や目撃証言など、証拠が犯行前にやや偏っており、数も少ない。有罪認定は厳しいのでは」と話す。
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舞鶴女子高生殺害事件 小杉美穂さんは２００８年５月６日夜に外出し、８日朝、舞鶴市の朝来（あせく）川沿いの雑木林で遺体で発見された。京都府警は０９年４月、窃盗罪で服役中の中勝美被告を殺人と死体遺棄容疑で逮捕。京都地検は同月、殺人、強制わいせつ致死両罪で起訴した。公判前整理手続きは約１年５か月にわたって２４回行われ、公判は１０回開かれた。
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2011
年
5
月
16
日
読売新聞）
http://osaka.yomiuri.co.jp/zoom/20110516-OYO9I00364.htm
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| 2010/12/21 Kyoto DC 1st Hearing Naka pleads not guilty. |
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Man pleads not guilty of 15-year-old girl's murder in Kyoto as trial starts
December, 21 2010
KYOTO —
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A man charged with murdering a 15-year-old high school girl in 2008 pleaded not guilty during his first hearing at the Kyoto District Court on Tuesday.
Katsumi Naka, 62, said the allegations that he beat Miho Kosugi to death in an attempt to sexually assault her in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, in May 2008 ‘‘are all fabrications, lies and wrong’’ and that ‘‘I’m innocent.’‘
Prosecutors have not submitted any direct evidence, such as a murder weapon, to link Naka with the crime, and the focus of the trial is on circumstantial evidence, including footage from a surveillance camera that captured two persons who are said to look like Kosugi and Naka near the crime scene.
Police initially arrested Naka for theft in November 2008, some six months after the murder, and searched his home for six days in the presence of his lawyer, seizing some 2,000 items. They were unable, however, to find any direct evidence proving Naka’s involvement in the murder.
As he was indicted before the lay judge system was introduced, he is being tried by three professional judges, who are expected to hand down a ruling on him next spring or later.
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Man pleads innocent over killing
of high school girl in Kyoto
(Mainichi Japan) December 21, 2010
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People line up for public gallery tickets in the first hearing in the trial over the killing of a female high school student at the Kyoto District Court in Kyoto's Nakagyo Ward on Dec. 21. (Mainichi)
KYOTO -- A 62-year-old man on trial over the murder of a female high school student branded the charges against him as "lies" as the first hearing in the case opened in the Kyoto District Court on Dec. 21.
The 62-year-old defendant, Katsumi Naka, is facing charges of murder and indecent assault resulting in death in connection with the May 2008 killing of the student.
When asked to respond to the charges against him, Naka protested his innocence.
"It's all nonsense and lies, and it's wrong. I'm innocent," Naka told the court. Lawyers for Naka say that he was "not at all involved" in the crime.
While there is no influential physical evidence in the case, public prosecutors say that the charges can be proven based on an accumulation of circumstantial evidence. Accordingly, the prosecution and defense are set to go head-to-head in the trial.
In their opening statements, public prosecutors revealed their opinion that Naka had met the victim on a prefectural road while traveling home from a bar by bicycle at about 1:20 a.m. on May 7, 2008. They argued that he had traveled to the murder scene in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, with her, citing security cameras along the road and sightings at several places, including a nearby intersection. In explaining the motive for the crime they said that Naka had indecently assaulted the victim.
Prosecutors pointed out that during questioning Naka had stated, "On the morning of May 7, I saw an acquaintance discarding the victim's clothing and makeup," adding that he had sent a prosecutor a letter containing the names of the "group of real criminals." They said this was an attempt to pin the blame on the acquaintance, and exposed secrets that only the real criminal would know.
Lawyers, meanwhile, argued that the security camera footage was not clear enough to identify specific people and that the sightings were made at night by people who were driving, casting doubt over whether Naka could actually be identified. They said Naka had no clear recollection of what happened on the day.
Regarding the information about the victim's possessions, the defense said Naka could have been led by investigators. They said that since the incident occurred in darkness, it was necessary to conduct an investigation under the same conditions when examining Naka's statements and eyewitness testimonies.
Since the killing occurred prior to the introduction of the citizen judge system, the case is being judged by three professional judges without any lay judges.
