World’s longest-serving death row inmate acquitted of 1966 murders in Japan

A Japanese court ruled Thursday that an 88-year-old former boxer was not guilty in a retrial for a 1966 quadruple murder, reversing an earlier decision that made him the world’s longest-serving death row inmate.

Iwao Hakamada’s acquittal by the Shizuoka District Court makes him the fifth death-row convict to be found not guilty in a retrial in postwar Japanese criminal justice. The case could rekindle a debate around abolishing the death penalty in Japan.

The court’s presiding judge, Koshi Kunii, said the court acknowledged multiple fabrications of evidence and that Hakamada was not the culprit, Hakamada’s lawyer said.

After the two-hour full explanation of the ruling that followed the main sentencing, his 91-year-old sister Hideko Hakamada walked out of the courthouse with a big smile, welcomed by burst of cheers and two big bouquets to celebrate the acquittal of her brother after the 58-year legal battle.

“Thank you everyone, (the victory) is thanks to your support,” she said. “Thank you very much for supporting us for such a long time.”

Hakamada was convicted of murder in the 1966 killing of a company manager and three of his family members, and setting a fire to their central Japan home. (CBS)

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