[fluffy0000]

Citizen judge system Japan 2009'
pushing for the "Saiban-in" or citizen judge system.

Japan abolished its jury system during World War II, and cases have been decided by a panel of professional judges.

The current system gives prosecutors extensive powers, but defense attorneys argue those powers go to far too far. Prosecutors are allowed to detain and interrogate a suspect for 23 days, without a defense attorney present, and force them to make written statements and confessions. Nearly 100 percent of indictments resulted in convictions.

Legal process / trail by jury applies only to felony cases

Six jurors will now decide cases involving serious, violent crimes. Three professional judges will work with them to guide them through the legal process. For example, there will be six jurors and three judges meeting together to come to a majority vote decision, and verdicts are expected to be reached within just a few days.

In the Aftermanth of this particular crime/ prompted move to jury + 3 judge
system for felony cases. -Jul 28, 2009 ... Toshikazu Sugaya (62) who has been released from Chiba Prison in Tokyo after miscarraige of justice,....

That criticism has grown louder since a 62-year-old man who was wrongly convicted was released from prison last month. Toshikazu Sugaya served 17 years behind bars for the murder of a young girl. He said prosecutors forced him to confess to a crime he did not commit. He was freed after a new test revealed his DNA did not match that on the victim's body.