Police officer yells at relatives of victim of fatal assault

Monday 26th January, 06:42 AM JST

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Nessie at 10:07 AM JST - 26th January

‘‘I didn’t think we’d be treated in this way when we are the victims, so I feel as if we have been betrayed by the police.’’

Being the victim doesn't automatically put you in the right. A sad fact of life.
telecasterplayer at 10:28 AM JST - 26th January

Hey JT, 61 isn't "elderly".
cleo at 10:54 AM JST - 26th January

What frankandbeans said, and what nessie said, and what telecasterplayer said.

It may be the case that she 'disturbed his newspaper reading time' as outofhisdepth says, but I think it's more likely the police officer was at the end of a 36-hour shift with little or no sleep and a pile of reports to write up before he can go home, and this 'victim' trying to tell him his job and lay down the law was the straw that broke the camel's back. That doesn't mean he was right to yell at her, of course - after all, he's a public servant and her taxes pay his wages - but when you have servants, you have to treat them right if you want them to do their job properly.
nisegaijin at 10:59 AM JST - 26th January

Fatal assault = murder.

She should seek legal assistance.
mark_in_japan at 11:02 AM JST - 26th January

Irregardless of the technicalities of the case or how tired the policeman was, he shouldn't have been yelling at a citizen, shouting what was basically a rhetorical questions that was intended to disturb the woman when it was perfectly obvious what she was dissatisfied about.
shouganaika at 11:14 AM JST - 26th January

sensitivity not a strong point amongst J-popo. saw one just yesterday swinging a huge stick and practising his kendo moves outside the Koban, rush hour with hundreds of people walking past. not particularly approachable.
whyamiinjapan at 11:52 AM JST - 26th January

I've had no bad experiences with cops here. Actually, they have been quite nice. But I can see this undercurrent of "dumbness" in their thinking. If they don't want to deal with something, or they think a certain way, they will do ANYTHING and go to any lengths to defend it.
sharky1 at 01:47 PM JST - 26th January

Verbal abuse by police officers should be against the law.
Nessie at 02:04 PM JST - 26th January

Cleo, I also think the nuttiness of Japanese law may have contributed to this. I've heard all these weird distinctions in offences -- such as the difference between doing a runner on your restaurant tab and doing a runner on that tab with intent to defraud. It's usually impossible to determine intent, and the effect is the same to the restaurant owner. And yet the prosecutor requires that the police try to distinguish between the two during their interrogations.

There are so many dumb nuances to law -- everywhere, of course, but particularly in Japan.
bobbafett at 02:23 PM JST - 26th January

saw one just yesterday swinging a huge stick and practising his kendo moves outside the Koban

how did he man handle his huge stick while practicing kendo? J-cops are supermen.
dennis0bauer at 03:16 PM JST - 26th January

he should have bowed, apologized, say we will do our best and then deposit their complaints in the (garbage) deposit box next to his desk
BBLeo at 06:58 PM JST - 26th January

Was officer concerned yelling or screaming? Some people do have laud voice and everyone will take this yelling or screaming. Was officer angry? Under any circumstances police officer should be polite not just to the victims concerned but with public in general. 'PUBLIC RELATIONS OF POLICE FORCE ARE IMPORTANT SELF PRESENTATION IF THEY WANT TO BE TRUSTED BY PUBLIC.' I would like to meet this officer to satisfy my judgement.
usaexpat at 01:07 AM JST - 27th January

franknbeans and Nessie are pretty much on the money. I would add that the police are bound by what the prosecuters decide to do. The officer in question has to follow the prosecuter and can't on his own bring a murder charge. It's unfortunate for the victim's family but this is how the system works.Maybe the officer was equally frustrated or the family has been badgering the cops. Whatever the case he should have been more respectful.
nimbus at 06:07 AM JST - 27th January

"...The police are moving in line with what the prosecutors say..." If the prosecutors are the ones who decide on the charges, the woman should be talking to the prosecutors instead.

The article didn't say if the cop yell at her the first time she conveyed her dissatisfaction of the charges or was yelled at after she was told that the prosecutors decide on the charges the 20th time. This article does not provide sufficient detail to let the readers know what really happened because it only has one side of the story.
trente_sylphs at 11:26 AM JST - 30th January

What??? There "MAY have been a lack of consideration"??? are you kidding me.. These ppl are grieving over their father's mysterious sudden death adn the cop yells at them? That seems fishy to me. It seems to me the police had something to do with it..

You've seen it before when someone is in the wrong. When confronted, they over-react. Classic case of guilt I think..