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| A man in Japan dubbed the "Twitter killer" who used social media to lure his victims has pleaded guilty to nine murders. (Photo: AFP) |
TOKYO: A Japanese man dubbed the "Twitter killer" for luring his victims on
social media admitted in court Wednesday (Sep 30) to killing nine people,
local media said.
But lawyers for Takahiro Shiraishi, 29, argued the charges should be reduced
because the victims - who had expressed suicidal thoughts - gave their
consent to be killed.
Shiraishi, who is also accused of dismembering his victims and storing body
parts in coolboxes, did not contest nine counts of murder, saying they "are
all correct", public broadcaster NHK reported.
He is accused of using Twitter to contact victims aged between 15 and 26 who
talked online about committing suicide, telling them he could help them in
their plans - or even die alongside them.
His lawyers want the charges against him reduced to "murder with consent",
which carries a prison sentence of between six months and seven years.
Shiraishi was detained three years ago by police investigating the
disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who had reportedly tweeted about
wanting to take her own life.
After she went missing, her brother apparently hacked into her Twitter
account, and noticed a suspicious handle.
Police uncovered a grisly house of horrors behind Shiraishi's front door on
the morning of Halloween in 2017.
Nine dismembered bodies, with as many as 240 bone parts stashed in coolers
and toolboxes, has been sprinkled with cat litter in a bid to hide the
evidence.
More than 600 people lined up for 13 public gallery seats to observe
Wednesday's first hearing, NHK said.
If convicted of murder Shiraishi faces the death penalty, which is carried
out by hanging in Japan.
Japan has the highest suicide rate among the Group of Seven industrialised
nations, with more than 20,000 people taking their lives annually.
However, the suicide rate has been falling since it peaked in 2003. Source: AFP/zl
This article first appeared on CNA.
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