Sakae Menda

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Sakae Menda (免田栄, Menda Sakae^?, born November 4, 1925) is a Japanese who was convicted of double-murder, but was cleared by retrial. It was the first release by retrial from death row in Japan.

On December 30, 1948, a couple were murdered. Menda was arrested on January 13, 1949. He insisted on his alibi, which wasn't heard of. On March 23, 1950, he was sentenced to death. Top court upheld his original sentence on December 25, 1951.

Menda didn't give up, and submitted six pleas for retrial. The retrial began on September 27, 1979. Then records showed his alibi. On July 15, 1983, he was cleared. He continues to criticise Japanese executions.

[edit] See also

• List of exonerated death row inmates
• Sadamichi Hirasawa
• Iwao Hakamada
• Sayama Incident

[edit] External links

• Secrecy of Japan's Executions Is Criticized as Unduly Cruel The New York Times
• One who has lived to tell the tale The Japan Times