88-year-old former boxer Iwao Hakamada was acquitted after 50 years on death row for a 1966 murder due to fabricated evidence and coerced confession.
Iwao Hakamada, an 88-year-old former boxer, was acquitted after spending over 50 years on death row for a 1966 murder he did not commit. The Shizuoka District Court found that police and prosecutors fabricated evidence and coerced his confession through violent interrogations. Following his acquittal, Shizuoka Police Chief Takayoshi Tsuda personally apologized to Hakamada, prompting calls for greater transparency and legal reforms regarding retrials and the death penalty in Japan.
October 21, 2024
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