Japanese Man Cleared of Murders After 46 Years on Death Row
Iwao Hakamada, an 88-year-old former professional boxer who spent nearly five decades on death row, has been found not guilty of a 1966 quadruple murder after a retrial. Hakamada, who was sentenced to death in 1968 for the murders of his boss, his wife, and their two teenage children, had his conviction overturned following the emergence of new evidence.
Hakamada Freed After Nearly Half a Century on Death Row
Hakamada’s case has drawn international attention due to the length of time he spent on death row, believed to be the longest of any prisoner worldwide. He was released in 2014 when a retrial was ordered, after maintaining his innocence for decades and alleging that investigators had forced him to confess. His lawyers argued that police had fabricated evidence to secure his conviction.
Retrial Uncovers Fabricated Evidence
The presiding judge in the retrial, Koshi Kunii, found that three critical pieces of evidence, including Hakamada’s confession and items of clothing prosecutors claimed he wore during the murders, had been fabricated. This revelation led to his acquittal, though prosecutors have yet to decide whether they will appeal the verdict.
Calls to Avoid Further Legal Action
Hakamada’s defence team has urged prosecutors not to appeal the ruling, citing his advanced age and the flawed investigation that led to his wrongful conviction. The case has reignited discussions about Japan’s death penalty system and the potential for miscarriages of justice within the country’s legal framework.
