Hakamata's Acquittal Becomes Final 58 Years after Arrest

   Shizuoka, Oct. 9 (Jiji Press)--The acquittal of Iwao Hakamata, 88, in the retrial for a murder of four members of a family in Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, in 1966, became final Wednesday, 58 years after his arrest.
   The not-guilty ruling by Shizuoka District Court last month was finalized after local public prosecutors waived their right to appeal it.
   It is the fifth case in which a retrial finds a convict on death row not guilty in incidents that occurred in Japan after World War II.
   Takayoshi Tsuda, chief of Shizuoka prefectural police, told reporters that he is sorry for the situation Hakamata had been placed in.
   "I want to convey this thought, and I want to decide on the method based on his wishes and in consultation with those involved," Tsuda said.

(2024/10/09-13:19)

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