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Retired US Marine sentenced to life in Japan for rape-murder of Okinawa woman
Published time: 1 Dec, 2017 09:42
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FILE PHOTO: Policemen escort Kenneth Franklin Shinzato (C) to the prosecutor's office in Uruma, Okinawa prefecture, on May 21, 2016. © JIJI Press / AFP
reported. Shinzato’s defense claimed he intended to knock his victim out and rape her in a hotel room, but panicked when he couldn’t render Shimabukuro fully unconscious.
READ MORE: Hundreds protest US base construction in Japan, year after woman killed by US marine (VIDEO)
The prosecution insisted the killing of the woman was intentional. They said when Shinzato left his home in Yonabaru in a car earlier that day he took with him the knife used in the assault and a large suitcase full of dirt. His intention, they argued, was to squeeze his victim into the suitcase and abandon the body in a shallow grave in the forest.
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One of biggest protests in 2 decades: Over 50,000 Okinawans gather for anti-US military rally
Shinzato, whose original family name Gadson was changed to that of his Japanese wife, served in the US Marines between 2009 and 2014. Later he was working at the Kadena Air Base as a civilian contractor for a cable and internet provider. He became a person of interest in the police investigation of Shimabukuro’s disappearance after his car was spotted in security footage from the area where the crime happened. The victim’s DNA was found in the car, making him a prime suspect. The body was found on May 19, as police was searching for it based on Shinzato’s testimony.
On Friday, lay Judge Toshihiro Shibata found Shinzato guilty of both rape and murder and sentenced him to life in prison – the punishment requested by the prosecution, Kyodo News reported.
The rape and death of Shimabukuro sparked outrage in Japan and particularly in Okinawa, where public sentiment is strong against the presence of American troops. Public protests against such crimes marred the visit of then-US President Barack Obama in May 2016. A month later Okinawa saw one of the biggest anti-American demonstrations in two decades, with at least 50,000 people attending.
The case is one of a number involving US service members or base employees targeting Japanese civilians, which have happened over the decades.
Published time: 1 Dec, 2017 09:42
Get short URL
FILE PHOTO: Policemen escort Kenneth Franklin Shinzato (C) to the prosecutor's office in Uruma, Okinawa prefecture, on May 21, 2016. © JIJI Press / AFP
reported. Shinzato’s defense claimed he intended to knock his victim out and rape her in a hotel room, but panicked when he couldn’t render Shimabukuro fully unconscious.
READ MORE: Hundreds protest US base construction in Japan, year after woman killed by US marine (VIDEO)
The prosecution insisted the killing of the woman was intentional. They said when Shinzato left his home in Yonabaru in a car earlier that day he took with him the knife used in the assault and a large suitcase full of dirt. His intention, they argued, was to squeeze his victim into the suitcase and abandon the body in a shallow grave in the forest.
Read more
One of biggest protests in 2 decades: Over 50,000 Okinawans gather for anti-US military rallyShinzato, whose original family name Gadson was changed to that of his Japanese wife, served in the US Marines between 2009 and 2014. Later he was working at the Kadena Air Base as a civilian contractor for a cable and internet provider. He became a person of interest in the police investigation of Shimabukuro’s disappearance after his car was spotted in security footage from the area where the crime happened. The victim’s DNA was found in the car, making him a prime suspect. The body was found on May 19, as police was searching for it based on Shinzato’s testimony.
On Friday, lay Judge Toshihiro Shibata found Shinzato guilty of both rape and murder and sentenced him to life in prison – the punishment requested by the prosecution, Kyodo News reported.
The rape and death of Shimabukuro sparked outrage in Japan and particularly in Okinawa, where public sentiment is strong against the presence of American troops. Public protests against such crimes marred the visit of then-US President Barack Obama in May 2016. A month later Okinawa saw one of the biggest anti-American demonstrations in two decades, with at least 50,000 people attending.
The case is one of a number involving US service members or base employees targeting Japanese civilians, which have happened over the decades.
