Japanese Man Acquitted After Becoming the World’s Longest-Serving Inmate on Death Row for 1966 Murders

An 88-year-old former boxer, Iwao Hakamada, was acquitted in a retrial of a 1966 quadruple murder case after serving 45 years on death row, the longest of any inmate in the world.

The decision marks the end of a six-decade battle for Hakamada’s freedom, not only for the former boxer but also for his family, who tirelessly supported him. On Thursday, the Shizuoka District Court ruled that Hakamada was not guilty after being convicted in 1968 for the murder of his boss and his boss’s three family members. The ruling clears Hakamada of any charges, as prosecutors have ten days to appeal the decision.

After the verdict was announced, Hakamada’s 91-year-old sister, Hideko, shared that she was “so moved and happy” with the court’s decision that she “could not stop crying.”

“This was a very long trial, but thank you so much, everyone,” she added. “We won the acquittal! When the judge said, “The defendant is not guilty,” it just sounded so divine.”

To give you a little backstory on Hakamada’s case, the murder of his company manager and his manager’s family members was brutal. After the killings, their home was set on fire, with Hakamada admitting to the crime. However, he quickly retracted his confession, claiming he had been coerced into taking the blame for the murder. Despite his efforts, Hakamada was sentenced to death in 1968.

What helped Hakamada’s acquittal was the revelation that the evidence used to convict him may have been fabricated. Notably, the clothing found at the crime scene was questionable. Prosecutors claimed the clothing belonged to Hakamada and the blood on the pieces came from the victims. However, according to experts, the blood stains could not have kept their reddish color if the clothing had been soaked in miso paste for a year, as it was alleged.

Additionally, Hakamada’s retracted confession was given after days of intense interrogation by authorities. The coerced nature of the interrogation became the focal point in Hakamada’s defense as Human Rights organizations argued that his confession came under distress.

For years, Amnesty International and other groups have also fought for Hakamada, pointing out that his case was an example of the dangers of Japan’s judicial system and its prolonged jail sentences.