crime

Police to charge suspect with murder of Kobe girl

17 Comments

Police in Kobe on Tuesday plan to serve a new arrest warrant for murder on a suspect in the killing of Mirei Ikuta, 6, whose body parts were found in bags in a wooded area on Sept 23.

The suspect, Yasuhiro Kimino, 47, has so far only been charged with abandoning a body after his hospital registration card and cigarette butts were found in one of the bags with the body parts. DNA on the butts matched that of Kimino.

His lawyer told media Monday that he speaks with police but refuses to discuss the murder of Ikuta, TBS reported.

Police found a rucksack belonging to Ikuta in Kimino's apartment which is near the area where the girl's remains were dumped. Investigators also found bloodstains which matched Ikuta's in the bathroom and other places in the suspect's apartment. Underneath the bathtub, they also found a knife believed to have been used to cut up Ikuta's body.

Media have reported that Kimino may have lured Ikuta to his apartment by using cats. A resident in the same apartment building, who has a number of cats, said Ikuta came to play with the cats on at least three occasions during the summer. The apartment building is about 150 meters from her home.

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17 Comments
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That is man is pretty sick .I just wondering what was he thinking.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I feel for the poor parents of that little girl, so sad.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I often see in Japanese crime reports that the suspect 'speaks to police but refuses to discuss the case'. What on earth do they talk about?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I'm glad they have enough evidence to charge him with the murder. It's pretty obvious he is responsible. Hopefully, they can make the charges stick and this animal will never see the light of freedom again.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I often see in Japanese crime reports that the suspect 'speaks to police but refuses to discuss the case'. What on earth do they talk about?

Suspects are allowed to be interrogated for up to 23 days before charges have to be filed. The Japanese legal system relies on confessions to guarantee convictions. Add those two together and you'll get a pretty good idea what they've been discussing for the past three weeks.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

He should be eliminate by any mean ...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I hope his lawyer does not try the backdoor insanity plea. (In a classic insanity defense,the burden of proof is on the defense to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is unable to tell right from wrong).

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@hackney

"speaks to police but refuses to discuss the case'. What on earth do they talk about?"

It's a typical good cop/bad cop tactic, I assume. The bad cop asks him tough questions while the good cop asks him about his parents, his job or anything, trying to be friends with the guy. Of course eventually he will ask "you seem like a nice guy, what happened? " etc and encourage him to talk more so that the victim's family can have some kind of closure.

Or maybe I am watching too many detective shows :)

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So much carelessness the way this guy did this horrible crime. It is hard to believe he is so stupid to leave so many clues. I think he had someone else with him that is making it look like he did it alone.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

roylance.norton: " The Japanese legal system relies on confessions to guarantee convictions. "

It doesn't. Japan's criminal code 319:

Confession under compulsion, torture, threat, after unduly prolonged detention or when there is doubt about it being voluntary may not be admitted as evidence. The accused shall not be convicted when the confession, whether it was made in open court or not, is the only piece of incriminating evidence.
-6 ( +1 / -7 )

As we all know Tina, there is often a big discrepancy between the way things are written in Japan, and the way they actually work. Plenty of people have been convicted in Japan on a false confession and circumstantial evidence. And the police often won't charge someone who has not confessed.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Strangerland: "the police often won't charge someone who has not confessed."

If there is no evidence. I remember some cases where the accused didn't confess, but received death or other sentences because of evidence.

I know in the past the courts made mistakes, but it happens in other counntries as well.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

I know in the past the courts made mistakes, but it happens in other counntries as well.

What happens in other countries is irrelevant. It seems clear that the suspect in this case has failed to confess to the crime but the public prosecutors feel confident they can achieve a conviction based on physical evidence and eye-witness statements alone. This is unusual in Japan and places a greater burden on the jury. Japan is not used to anyone being acquitted of a crime once the case is brought to court.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

What happens in other countries is irrelevant.

Very relevant when you're criticizing another country. If you can not clarify the differences from other countries, no point of criticizm.

It seems clear that the suspect in this case has failed to confess to the crime but the public prosecutors feel confident they can achieve a conviction based on physical evidence and eye-witness statements alone.

So, do you understand now Japan is not dependent on confession to prosecute?

This is unusual in Japan and places a greater burden on the jury.

Unusual without confession? No. you should go see the criminal court proceedings. It happens daily. And Japan's courts DO NOT have the jury.

Japan is not used to anyone being acquitted of a crime once the case is brought to court.

Since the Japan's court is not the jury trial, they don't have to appeal to juries who may be influenced by lots of things including their impressions or values, thus "Not guilty" verdicts. Japan's court proceedings are heard by professional (and lay judges for serious crimes). The low acquittal could mean that the prosecutors are very careful indicting.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

He'll swing.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

" He'll swing. "

I hope so.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I'll tie the noose.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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