In the retrial of the so-called "Hakamada case" = negotiations on redoing the trial, the physical chemistry expert requested by the defense was examined as a witness at the Tokyo High Court. is all over.
Iwao Hakamada, 86, was sentenced to death in 1966 for the murder of a family of four in what is now Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City.
At the three-party talks held at the Tokyo High Court on the 5th, Professor Koichiro Ishimori of Hokkaido University, who specializes in physical chemistry, was questioned privately as a witness for the defense.
According to the defense team, Professor Ishimori said that the biggest point of contention was the change in color of the blood stains on the clothes that were supposed to belong to the culprit. He testified that he had no objections.
It is a form that supports the defense's claim that "the evidence was fabricated."
The cross-examination of witnesses, which took place three times, ended on the 5th, and it is expected that the time for submission of the final opinion will be announced at the consultation next month. It means to
Attorney Koyo said, "I think that the issue given to the High Court by the Supreme Court to 'chemically prove the change in the color of blood stains' has been settled."
Witness for the defense The biggest point of contention The color of blood stains on clothes "changes"
At the Tokyo High Court, five experts in forensic medicine and physical chemistry were interviewed as witnesses three times on the 22nd of last month, the 1st of this month, and the 5th, in order to hear opinions about the written opinions submitted by the defense and the prosecution. Done.
Of these, Assistant Professor Katsuhiro Okuda of Asahikawa Medical University, who gave an appraisal at the request of the defense and testified in court, responded to NHK's coverage.
He wanted to help clarify the truth as an expert in a trial in which he was suspected of being falsely accused, and cooperated with the appraisal and the questioning of witnesses.
In the High Court's discussion, the biggest point of contention was the change in color of the blood stains on the clothes that were found in a miso tank near the crime scene.
In response to this, Assistant Professor Okuda mixed blood with an aqueous solution prepared to have the same salt concentration, pH, and acidity as miso, and conducted an experiment to observe how the color changed.
As a result, it was confirmed that the color changed from red to blackish on the next day, and it became darker with each passing day.
It is thought that the nature of hemoglobin, which is the cause of blood redness, has changed due to the high salt concentration and weakly acidic nature unique to miso. It can be said that there is no such thing left. I think that being able to explain it along with the chemical mechanism is decisive evidence."
On the other hand, another forensic expert who testified as a witness for the prosecution said, "It was done with 'blood', and it is doubtful whether the 'bloodstain' of blood on cloth would have the same result." He pointed out that "redness may remain even after a year."