RR Phantom
Location : Wasted Space Job/hobbies : Cayman Islands Actuary
| Subject: Japan crime: Why do innocent people confess? Wed Jan 02, 2013 3:00 am | |
| Mariko Oi meets a victim of a forced confession
Japan has a conviction rate of more than 99%. But in recent months there has been a public outcry over a number of wrongful arrests where innocent people confessed to crimes.
It started with a threat posted on the city of Yokohama's website in late June: "I'll attack a primary school and kill all the children before the summer."
In the months that followed, there were a number of similar threats posted on the internet - some threatening famous people, including the Emperor's grandchildren.
After a police investigation, four people were arrested. Two, including a 19-year-old student, confessed whilst in custody.
But on 9 October, the real perpetrator sent an email to a lawyer - Yoji Ochiai - and local media, explaining how he or she made those threats by taking control of innocent internet users' computers with a virus.
His or her purpose, as stated in the email to Ochiai, was "to expose the police and prosecutors' abomination".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20810572 |
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