The Fukuoka High Court rejected an appeal for a retrial on Monday over the 1992 murder of two 7-year-old girls in Iizuka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The defense for the executed death row convict plans to file a special appeal with the Supreme Court against the decision.
The Fukuoka High Court on February 17 rejected an appeal for a retrial in the so-called Iizuka incident, a 1992 murder of two 7-year-old girls in Iizuka City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Michitoshi Kuma, the defendant who maintained his innocence, had his death sentence finalized in 2006 based on DNA test results and eyewitness accounts. He was executed at the age of 70 in 2008.
The defense team plans to file a special appeal with the Supreme Court against the high court's decision. The case, involving the killing of elementary school children, drew significant attention and sparked discussions on Japan's death penalty system.
The high court's ruling stems from a determination that the existing evidence does not meet the requirements for a retrial. The defense has consistently argued for Kuma's innocence and questioned prior judicial decisions, but this rejection further dims prospects for reopening the case.