Court restaging of mutilation murder using dummy stirs defense protest

Monday 19th January, 03:17 PM JST

TOKYO —

Prosecutors on Monday restaged a crime scene in a video reenactment of how they claim the defendant mutilated the murder victim, prompting the defense lawyers to protest that such a technique would lead to a negative view of the defendant. The prosecutors used a mannequin in the reenactment screened during the court hearing in the trial of Takanori Hoshijima, 34, at the Tokyo District Court.

They did so ‘‘apparently with an eye on the introduction of the jury system in May, but it is not an appropriate way to question a defendant,’’ his lawyers said. Hoshijima is accused of killing a 23-year-old woman last April in Tokyo with the aim of sexually assaulting her, mutilating her body and dumping the body parts. He has pleaded guilty.

During the trial, the prosecutors reproduced the crime scene in video footage while presenting photos of the victim’s body parts on a screen so court spectators could see them. Some of the bereaved family members were reduced to tears and had to leave the courtroom.

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Latest 15 of 19 Total Comments Show All

GG2141 at 03:54 PM JST - 19th January

I don't think that attending the trial of someone who murdered and mutilated your child could ever be pleasant.

I don't see any way that a description of the crime could be anything but traumatic. There is just no way of sugar coating a dismemberment after sexual assault and murder.
Larry at 03:54 PM JST - 19th January

There is a reason. By demonstrating the exact gravity of the crime the judge or jury will likely give him a longer sentence (or hopefully death). This tactic is commonly practiced in Canada, Australia, New Zealand the U.S.
bdiego at 03:55 PM JST - 19th January

Better yet, they should do a 3D computer re-enactment with the defendant's face, as well as photoshop the defendant with the murder weapon in his hands. Then show the jury hypothetical newspapers from the future with the defendant's mugshot reading "Murderer found guilty through overwhelming evidence."
Altria at 03:59 PM JST - 19th January

They do seem to like doing reenactments with models here.

You can just picture a Japanese news room when there's a major train accident: "Quick, there's been a smash - everybody, we've gotta get a scale model of this thing built in time for the 10 o'clock news!!!"

Then when its news time the newscaster pushes little trains around with the earnestness of someone performing a cardiac bypass.
sensei258 at 06:27 PM JST - 19th January

A negative view of the defendant? I suppose raping, killing, then dismembering her body and disposing of it wouldn't?
Starke at 06:44 PM JST - 19th January

"He has pleaded guilty."

Case closed! No need to show family members gruesome images of this poor women or show how he did it. This just makes no sense??
bamboohat at 07:24 PM JST - 19th January

sounds like these grandstanding prosecutors have been watching to much CSI.
bobbafett at 08:57 PM JST - 19th January

"He has pleaded guilty."

Case closed! No need to show family members gruesome images of this poor women or show how he did it. This just makes no sense??

my sentiments exactly. This should be a closed door session with him, a lawyer, some cops and a judge. Of course the family should be present but just for the sentencing.
mindovermatter at 09:22 PM JST - 19th January

I'm just curious....

Do they ever reply on scientific crime scene analysis, trace fibers, DNA...etc... OR are all of their crimes solved by confession and show...?

It appears they could forgo all this dog and pony stuff with a little real evidence... and less hear say BS that came out a weeks long sleep deprived interrogation...

I would be more inclined to believe any prosecution case coming out of Guantanamo, than anything brought to court in Japan...

You take hard criminal evidence and just throw it out the window, let's make the case based solely on confession, don't even make the guy presentable in front of a judge, make him look like a harden scumbag criminal...
borscht at 10:15 PM JST - 19th January

mindovermatter,

Confession and show.

Other posters and the defense are right, the prosecutors are just grandstanding (and making the family upset) for no reason: it won't show any 'proof' and they should have a pathologist's report to accomplish the same thing. I hope this kind of thing doesn't make it in front of a jury. If it does, all the prosecution needs to do is be good at computer graphics, not the law.
neverknow2 at 11:31 PM JST - 19th January

"He has pleaded guilty."

Case closed! No need to show family members gruesome images of this poor women or show how he did it. This just makes no sense??

This is Japan. It's all about the show.
usaexpat at 12:17 AM JST - 20th January

Well a negative view of the defendant seems in order to me if he mutilated his victim. Bring on the dummy and then convict this dummy and let him swing.
TokyoGas at 12:43 AM JST - 20th January

He has pleaded guilty.
TokyoGas at 12:45 AM JST - 20th January

Oops...

Why the need for a restaging? He has plead guilty, so it should just be a matter of sentencing.
mrhog123 at 02:23 AM JST - 20th January

Where is that water hose when we need most.