Shoshi Maekawa: Hideko Hakamata: A poignant call for reform of Japan's much-condemned "retrial system" from recent exoneree Shoshi Maekawa and Hideko Hakamata, sister of 89-year-old Iwao Hakamata, who in a retrial was acquitted of the 1966 murder of a family in Shizuoka Prefecture, as reported by The Yomiuri Shimbun, noting that: "Maekawa spoke with Hideko in an online call from his home in Fukui on Monday. He reported the news of his acquittal and asked for her “cooperation in bringing about a review of the retrial system.” In January, Maekawa visited Hideko’s home in Hamamatsu and was given a blue hat belonging to Iwao. Maekawa wore that hat on the day of his verdict at the Kanazawa branch of the Nagoya High Court. “Thanks to the hat’s protection, I was acquitted,” Maekawa told Hideko during the online call. Hideko happily responded, “That’s truly wonderful."

SEASONAL BREAK: (July 26, 2025):

Dear Readers. It's time for me take a seasonal break  and charge my batteries, so to speak, as it has been a very busy year, with over 450 posts to date, focussed on fascinating developments, cases, issues, whatever,  in the Charles Smith Blog arena, from around the world. Here's the plan: I  have pre-scheduled posts for publication during the break, and then, batteries fully charged, the rejuvenated me  (having given you a break!) will rejoin you once again with fresh material. One of my most important tasks from the outset will be to  use the Blog to unite  with others around the globe who are fighting to stop the execution of Robert Roberson set for October 16 -   an innocent man convicted by  junk science. Another, will be to continue our efforts to help  undo (as much as possible)  the damage caused by  the notorious South Australian former Chief pathologist Colin Manock, to so many innocent  individuals over the years -  including Derek Bromley, whose cases cry out for exoneration. 

Until my return, keep an eye on Jimmy Duncan's  bail hearing which is being reported by Richard A. Webster, on Verite News. "The Innocence Project: "A judge has already declared Jimmie Duncan "factually innocent", but prosecutors are still going after him. Now, the victim's mother is calling for his freedom at his July 22 bail hearing.")  His  most recent story as of July 25, 2025  can be read at: the link below:  (A verdict could come as early as Monday July 28). As he  has reported: "In April, Judge Alvin Sharp set aside Duncan’s 1998 conviction for murdering 23-month-old Haley Oliveaux, his then-girlfriend’s daughter. Sharp agreed with Duncan’s attorneys that an analysis performed on the girl that purported to match marks on her body to Duncan’s teeth — a key piece of evidence in the trial — was based on discredited science.  As ProPublica and Verite News reported in March, the effort to secure Duncan’s freedom has become more urgent in recent months due to a renewed push by Gov. Jeff Landry to restart executions in the state following a decade-plus pause. Attorney Scott Greene, who is part of Duncan’s legal team, said during the hearing that Duncan has “enormous support” from his family, the community and Haley’s mother, Allison Layton Statham. Now that his conviction has been vacated, Greene argued, Duncan should be freed on bail pending another trial." 

https://veritenews.org/2025/07/25/death-row-prisoner-jimmie-duncan-bail/

There is indeed  so much grist for the Charles Smith Blog mill! In the meantime please keep sending me your suggestions for future posts at hlevy15@gmail.com.   (Many of our posts have been triggered by our readers); Enjoy the summer. Cheers.

Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.

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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "Issues remain in Japan’s retrial system, including a lack of legal obligation to disclose evidence. “We can’t let this end here,” Maekawa stressed. “We need to connect it to a review of the system.” Referring to a draft to revise the Criminal Procedure Code jointly submitted to the House of Representatives by six opposition parties, Hideko said, “I want to see the debate gain serious momentum and [the law] enacted in the Diet session in autumn.”

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STORY: "Exoneree Calls for Retrial System Reform After Acquittal; Help Sought from Sister of Acquitted Death Row Inmate," published by The Yomiuri Shimbun, on July 23, 2025.

GIST: "A man acquitted on Friday of the 1986 murder of a teenage girl in a retrial expressed a strong commitment to reforming Japan’s retrial system.

Shoshi Maekawa, 60, was sentenced to seven years in prison for the murder of a junior high school student, a crime for which he consistently asserted his innocence.

He is now appealing for help from Hideko Hakamata, the 92-year-old sister of 89-year-old Iwao Hakamata, who in a retrial was acquitted of the 1966 murder of a family in Shizuoka Prefecture. 

Maekawa spoke with Hideko in an online call from his home in Fukui on Monday. He reported the news of his acquittal and asked for her “cooperation in bringing about a review of the retrial system.”

In January, Maekawa visited Hideko’s home in Hamamatsu and was given a blue hat belonging to Iwao.

 Maekawa wore that hat on the day of his verdict at the Kanazawa branch of the Nagoya High Court.

“Thanks to the hat’s protection, I was acquitted,” Maekawa told Hideko during the online call.

Hideko happily responded, “That’s truly wonderful.”

Issues remain in Japan’s retrial system, including a lack of legal obligation to disclose evidence. “We can’t let this end here,” Maekawa stressed. “We need to connect it to a review of the system.”

Referring to a draft to revise the Criminal Procedure Code jointly submitted to the House of Representatives by six opposition parties, Hideko said, “I want to see the debate gain serious momentum and [the law] enacted in the Diet session in autumn.”

“Hideko is a close companion; we both share the same aspirations,” Maekawa told reporters after the online call. “I’m glad I could report this news to her.""

The entire story can be read at: 

https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/crime-courts/20250723-270929/

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:  I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic"  section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.  Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.

SEE BREAKDOWN OF  SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG,  AT THE LINK BELOW:  HL:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985

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FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:

Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;

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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;

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