Iwao Hakamada, 68, former professional boxer on death...

Iwao Hakamada, 68, former professional boxer on death row, filed an appeal for a retrial with the Japanese Supreme Court after the Tokyo High Court rejected his request on August 27. Hakamada was sentenced to death for murdering a soybean paste company executive, his wife and their two children in Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture in June 1966 when he was an employee at the company. The family's home was set on fire and about 200,000 yen in cash was stolen. Hakamada was arrested in August that year and allegedly confessed during police interrogation. He later asserted his innocence in court, saying he made the confession under duress.