▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁anyone ▁was ▁ever ▁released ▁from ▁death ▁row ▁by ▁ret rial ▁in ▁Japan . ▁He ▁is ▁now ▁a ▁leading ▁figure ▁in ▁Japan ▁for ▁the ▁movement ▁to ▁abol ish ▁the ▁death ▁penalty . ▁ ▁Background ▁On ▁December ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁an ▁unknown ▁k iller ▁broke ▁into ▁the ▁house ▁of ▁a ▁ 7 6 - year - old ▁Buddh ist ▁priest ▁and ▁his ▁ 5 2 - year - old ▁wife ▁in ▁K um am oto ▁Pref ect ure ▁on ▁Ky ush u ▁and ▁murder ed ▁them ▁using ▁an ▁ax e ▁and ▁a ▁kn ife . ▁The ▁k iller ▁also ▁wounded ▁their ▁two ▁young ▁daughters , ▁aged ▁ 1 2 ▁and ▁ 1 4 . ▁During ▁the ▁same ▁period , ▁Sak ae ▁M enda , ▁a ▁poor ▁and ▁un ed uc ated ▁farm hand , ▁was ▁arrested ▁on ▁the ▁charge ▁of ▁ste aling ▁rice . ▁ ▁Ar rest ▁and ▁trial ▁Police ▁held ▁M enda ▁for ▁three ▁weeks , ▁without ▁allowing ▁him ▁access ▁to ▁a ▁lawyer , ▁until ▁they ▁extracted ▁a ▁conf ession . ▁During ▁inter rog ation , ▁he ▁was ▁star ved ▁of ▁food , ▁water ▁and ▁sleep , ▁and ▁be aten ▁with ▁b am bo o ▁st icks ▁while ▁being ▁susp ended ▁ups ide ▁down ▁from ▁a ▁ce iling . ▁The ▁police ▁eventually ▁co er ced ▁M enda ▁into ▁signing ▁a ▁written ▁statement . ▁He ▁was ▁tried ▁and ▁was ▁conv icted ▁of ▁double ▁hom ic ide ▁despite