crime

Man gets 9 years in prison for fatal assault of 9-month-old daughter

29 Comments

The Mito District Court in Ibaraki Prefecture has sentenced a 30-year-old man to nine years in prison for inflicting bodily injury resulting in the death of his nine-month-old daughter.

Kazuki Kura, an unemployed resident of Hitachinaka City, was convicted Monday of fatally abusing his daughter Hazuki in 2018, Sankei Shimbun reported. Prosecutors had requested a 13-year prison term.

Kura’s lawyers said he physically assaulted the infant as an outlet for his stress. During the closing argument, the defense team claimed that the defendant “was frustrated because the child wouldn’t bond with him.” Seeking a five-year prison sentence, the defense team further stated that Kura has “promised to undergo rehabilitation.”

According to the indictment, Hazuki suffered a fractured skull after being assaulted by Kura between August and September 2018. Then between October and November that year, Kura sporadically beat the infant’s head with his fist. She subsequently died from a traumatic brain injury.

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29 Comments
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The poor child came into this world feeling nothing but pain, this monster deserves more than 9 years.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

"Kura sporadically beat the infant’s head with his fist." And all he got was 9 years?

10 ( +12 / -2 )

9 years? Japanese non justice do not stop in stupidity....RIP little angel!!

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Even 13 years are NOT enough, this killer should be kept away from the human race.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

“Rest In Peace” innocent infant.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Just 9 years is a disgrace for brutally killing a baby. For some reason killing innocent children is no longer considered a heinous enough crime to warrant execution or life.

This scum child killer will be out in his 30s. I hope he never makes it out alive.

Rest in Peace to the poor baby.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Seeking a five-year prison sentence, the defense team further stated that Kura has “promised to undergo rehabilitation.”

There is no rehabilitation for a scumbag who beats a baby to death. He should have gotten life for the one he took.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Pathetic.

Should've been a sentence of 9 years per month she was alive.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Castration and a rule against him being within 100m of any child ever again.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

the defense team claimed that the defendant “was frustrated because the child wouldn’t bond with him.”

The child has known the world for just 9 months. As a parent, YOU bond with the child. Not the other way around. Beating a child teaches it that violence is an acceptable way of "bonding" with others. Maybe he should've learned some actual parenting technique instead of caveman brutality.

Seeing these stories in the news makes me frustrated and sick. Parenting is a 24/7 responsibility. Children are not pets, playthings, or luxuries. They have no obligation to make you happy.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Japanese justice strikes again! A child killer gets six years on good behavior. Read that last sentence again.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Looked like J convicts daily lives are very austere & regimented to avoid socializing, learning new ‘skills’ and trouble in general.  Maybe someone will enlighten us?

I understand that while prison life is very regimented, developing skills is a big part of the program. I remember going to an open day at a prison in Sakai (Osaka Prefecture) where various carpentry products made by prisoners were on sale. They were of very good quality.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

During the closing argument, the defense team claimed that the defendant “was frustrated because the child wouldn’t bond with him.”

I wonder why that is? Maybe because he's an abusive lunatic?

If that excuse is why he got 9 years instead of the full 13, that is just pathetic. What human with any shred of compassion would not want to give him the full sentence, which isn't long to begin with?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I wonder if he ever stopped to think that the child wouldn't bond with him because he was beating her?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

All humans, and most animals, respond to kindness and love, and want to be loved. They seek it, often pressing their faces close to those who give it to them in a completely open and trusting matter. Try punching one, animal or human, a few times as they approach you when you are establishing those feelings and bonds, and see what happens. It's not even as complicated as Pavlov's dog -- the kid or the animal will stop coming near you, will not bond with you, and over time will come to resent and flat out dislike or hate you, especially if the beatings go on.

And once again, a bell-jar sentence. Nine years... why? because she was nine MONTHS old and the judge saw a sign that "nine" was in the air and so chose it for consistency? It's a shame, then, she hadn't been 20 months or so and the man gotten a sentence befitting his crime.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JackoSep. 8  06:45 am JST

The poor child came into this world feeling nothing but pain, this monster deserves more than 9 years.

At least she's in Heaven now, away from thia abusive rotten creepola.

momocloSep. 8  07:09 am JST

"Kura sporadically beat the infant’s head with his fist." And all he got was 9 years?

He desrves 99 years for this crime!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Hopefully, any neglectful services agency, supervisor, law enforcement and prosecutors will equally be brought to light and justice as well.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

No, “*This is not the U.S.*” @8:04am.- As stated earlier, North American (Canadian, American & Mexican) general prison populations have special “welcoming” parties for convicted child murderers and rapists.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Japan's justice system is baffling. A meager NINE years for the assault and murder of a helpless, defenseless infant? What kind of message is that sending out to all those who entertain the thought of infanticide? This pathetic excuse for a human being should get life or execution.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Kura has “promised to undergo rehabilitation.”

Is there much recourse for that in Japan? My understanding is that the Japanese prison system tends to follow the US model and is mostly concerned with punishment, not rehabilitation.

Nevermind the limited framework for rehabilitation and therapy of any form here, criminal or otherwise. Really would like to know what kind of programs are in place for this, if any.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

So if he is a good boy in prison, he will be out in 6 years.

This isnt the US.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

The most @Adfffwyn readers here candidly tell of the incarceration part for the J justice system is some ‘drunk-to-sober’ hours in the lockup or, ‘a stay in detention til issues were resolved’. Not much is publicized or documented of J prison life, other that a short BBC documentary. Looked like J convicts daily lives are very austere & regimented to avoid socializing, learning new ‘skills’ and trouble in general. Maybe someone will enlighten us?

*@Addfwyn 11:30am: [Kura has “promised to undergo rehabilitation.] Is there much recourse for that in Japan? My understanding is that the Japanese prison system tends to follow the US model and is mostly concerned with punishment, not rehabilitation.  Nevermind the limited framework for rehabilitation and therapy of any form here, criminal or otherwise. *Really would like to know what kind of programs are in place for this, if any.”

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

"learn skills" like carpentry understood @albaleo. was talking about learning "prison skills" from the other convicts

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Postpartum depression is a real and major issue for some ‘mothers’ but there is no excuse for “daddy”, or a paramour, to end a child’s life.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Prison populations abroad have their own forms of justice and ‘rehabilitation’ for child murders and rapists. How will he fare in a Japanese prison?

“Seeking a five-year prison sentence, the defense team further stated that Kura has “promised to undergo rehabilitation.” -

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Thanks. Just re-“read the last sentence again@enolagay 7:34pm. Willing to bet that brief respite was perhaps due to some family-child services intervention and then the ball was dropped and the abuse started again.

- @enolagay 7:34am: “J justice strikes again! A child killer gets six years on good behavior. Read that last sentence again.”:

“*According to the indictment, Hazuki suffered a fractured skull after being assaulted by Kura between Aug & Sep 2018. Then, between Oct & Nov that year[2018], Kura sporadically beat the infant’s head with his fist. She subsequently died from a traumatic brain injury.*”

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

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