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Sympathy for the suspect and his family environment should not lead to justification for the crime he committed.

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Yasuyuki Deguchi, professor of criminal psychology at Tokyo Future University. He was commenting on the news that over ¥1 million has been donated to Tetsuya Yamagami, the 41-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The money was sent to a detention center in Osaka where Yamagami is undergoing a psychiatric examination to see if he can take criminal responsibility for the shooting.

© Jiji Press

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Someone’s actions for good or bad are derived from their environment, cause and effect. What seems crazy to the Majority (not condoning killing) if you read his story the stress he had from family suicides and an out of control Mum. He just snapped. I think not justified but kind of understandable in context. In a crazy world and decisions we make are our decisions.

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I wonder if the people donating money have even considered that this show of sympathy may make the government be even more strict with his punishment (up to death penalty?) even if just to stop it.

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Also not condoning his actions but the hard facts are that by killing Abe, the actions and links to power of the cult were brought to public attention and seem to be being cut. This is in the public good. I doubt very much that this will have any bearing on his sentence but I and it would seem many others think that it should. He will, however be found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison. I'm sure he will have much to say at the trial.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Strange coming from him. If not for compassion, than what is the point of the psychiatric examination?

It's unlikely his actions would be condoned but to say no fact could ever....

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Strange coming from him. If not for compassion, than what is the point of the psychiatric examination?

To provide ethical justification for any punishment. Punishing someone that can't be held responsible for his actions (for any reason) is not something any legal system can justify. It requires no compassion, just a desire to be ethically congruent with what will be done.

So the first step in order is to make sure the accused can be made responsible.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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