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Japan Innocence and Death Penalty Information Center. List of six cases in which death was demanded and a verdict of not-guilty was handed down. The Nabari Case, reversed on appeal, is a real tragedy. Despite the death of the defendant, appeals are still being filed. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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名張 61/03/28 Mie Nabari City Arrested 61/04/02 |
Masaru Okunishi aged 35 at time of crime |
Murder x 5 ~~~~~ Yes |
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Summary Five women died at a town meeting afterdrinking wine laced with poison. The investigation focussed on those in possession of the wine that day, was narrowed to three people. The key suspect became thirty five year old Masaru Okunishi. Of the five women who perished, one was his wife and another was a lover. A great tragedy of Japanese justice, Okunishi was found not guilty in his first trial, guilty in the second. Court Chronology District Court 1964/12/23 Not Guilty High Court 69/09/10 Death Nagoya High Court Supreme Court 1972/06/15 Confirmed Later Actions 73/04/15 First Request for retrial is filed. 2002 7th request for retrial is filed. 2005/04/05 Request for retrial is granted. Prosecution files objection. 2006/12/26 Prosecution’s objection is granted, retrial is revoked. Defendant Currently Housed at Currently on death row in the Nagoya Detention Center. |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Saga Triple Female Murder Case 佐賀県の３女性殺害事件 Saga 1987~89 |
Matsue Teruhiko b. 1963 |
Murder x 3 ~~~~ Yes |
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Summary In 1989, police discovered the bodies of three women, ages 37~50, who were murdered between 1987~89. Matsue, already in prison for a narcotics charge, was subjected to prolonged interrogation and signed a confession. He was not arrested until 2002, six hours before the statute of limitations expired. Court Chronology District Court 2005 May 10 Not Guilty NOTE: Second case in Japanese history when a defendant was declared innocent when the death penalty was demanded. Cf: Nabari Case. High Court 2006 June 6: Appeals case begun. Supreme Court Confirmed Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Takaoka Yakuza Chief & Wife Shooting Case 高岡組長夫婦 射殺事件 |
Kurihara (Kumio?) 栗原組夫 |
Murder of a mobster chief and his wife. |
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Summary Codefendants with Ikushima Kenji (death penalty confirmed) and Ito Atsushi (died in prison 2009/05/02). Ikushima claimed that Kurihara has full responsibility. Court Chronology District Court 2006 November 21 Not Guilty High Court 2008 April 17 Not Guilty Prosecution abandons appeal. Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Hiroshima 2001/01/17 |
Nakamura Kuniharu |
Murder of mother and two daughters/Arson |
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Summary Nakamura, 39, a former company employee, was indicted on charges of strangling his mother, Sayoko, 53, at her home in the city's Nishi Ward around 3 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2001. He was also charged with setting fire to the house, killing his two daughters, Ayaka, 8, and Arisu, 6. Insurance payout for the the decedents was $670,000 (73 million yen). The prosecution demanded death. Court Chronology District Court 2007/11 Not Guilty High Court 2009/12/15 Not Guilty Supreme Court Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Tsuchiura Family Murder Case Ibaraki November 2004 |
Iijima Masaru 飯嶋勝 33 years at time of crime |
Murder of father (57) mother (54) and sister (31). |
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Summary Prosecution demanded death. Court Chronology District Court 2008/06/ 27 Not Guilty by reason of insanity High Court 2009/09/17 Overturned. Defendant found mentally impaired (not insane) and sentenced to life imprisonment. Supreme Court Confirmed Later Actions |
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Case Name Location Date of Incident Date of Arrest |
Defendant's Name(s) (Family First) F=female |
Charges ~~~~ Confessed? |
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Kagoshima June 2009 鹿児島夫婦害事件 |
Shirahama Masahiro aged 70 |
Murder of an elderly couple (husband 91/ wife 87) |
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Summary Shirahama was charged with robbery and murder. The case was based on weak circumstantial evidence, and in the view of many--planted evidence. The defendant claims to have never visited the home. This was the first decision of not guilty in a capital case under the mixed jury system. Court Chronology District Court 2010 December 10 Not Guilty High Court Supreme Court Later Actions |
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