Ex-gangster
to hang for killing 2 other gangsters
Tuesday,
June 12, 2007 at 15:47 EDT
TOKYO
— The Supreme Court upheld lower court decisions Tuesday to
hang a former gangster for killing two other gangsters in
1997. According to the ruling, Sumio Nakahara, 60, in
collusion with his subordinates, shot and killed the
54-year-old head of another gangster group in Fukuoka
Prefecture on Oct 6, 1997.
One week later, he killed one of the subordinates, 40,
fearing the initial murder would be detected, and dumped
his body in a mountainous area in Nagasaki Prefecture, the
ruling said. The lower courts sentenced him to death,
judging the testimony of three of his subordinates, who
said they were ordered to kill the two victims, as
credible. (Kyodo News)
Death
penalty for yakuza stands
Kyodo
News
The
Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld lower court decisions to
hang a former yakuza for killing two other gangsters in
1997.
"The crime was systematic and pre-arranged, and brought
about the gravest consequence. . . . A death sentence is
inevitable," the presiding judge, Toyozo Ueda, said in
handing down the ruling to Sumio Nakahara, 60.
According to the ruling, Nakahara, in collusion with his
subordinates, shot and killed the 54-year-old head of a
local yakuza group in Fukuoka Prefecture on Oct. 6, 1997.
One week later, he killed one of the subordinates, 40,
fearing the initial murder would be detected, and dumped
his body in a mountainous area of Nagasaki Prefecture, the
ruling said.
Nakahara pleaded not guilty. The lower courts sentenced him
to death, judging the testimony of three of his
subordinates as credible.