After 48 years behind bars, former boxer Iwao Hakamada, now 88, has been found not guilty in a retrial for a quadruple murder that occurred in 1966, overturning his earlier conviction. Hakamada had been on death row since his sentencing in 1968, making him the world’s longest-serving death row inmate. The court ruled in his favor in 2023, allowing for the latest retrial that ultimately led to his acquittal.
The case has sparked debate in Japan about the death penalty, as Hakamada’s wrongful conviction highlights flaws in the criminal justice system. Hakamada’s sister, Hideko, who has spent much of her life fighting for his innocence, called for a revision of the criminal law to make retrials more readily available.
Key points of contention in the case included fabricated evidence, such as blood-stained clothing that did not match Hakamada’s DNA and was too small for him to wear. The lengthy appeals process and high hurdles for retrials in Japan have prompted legal experts to call for changes to the system.
Hakamada’s release in 2014 was based on new evidence suggesting his conviction was flawed, but he continued to live under the shadow of the guilty verdict until the recent acquittal. Advocates for abolishing the death penalty hope that Hakamada’s case will lead to further discussion on the issue in Japan, where capital punishment remains in practice.
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