Overview
- Fukuoka prosecutors filed a Supreme Court appeal on February 5 challenging the January 22 Fukuoka High Court judgment.
- Prosecutors said they believe the ruling conflicts with precedent after the high court declined to apply dangerous driving resulting in death.
- The high court overturned an Oita District Court verdict that had imposed eight years for dangerous driving and instead sentenced the defendant to four years and six months for negligent driving.
- At trial, prosecutors relied on a driving experiment and a professional driver’s testimony indicating substantially increased steering input at very high speeds.
- The high court discounted that evidence due to differences in vehicle and road conditions and noted the car kept a straight course, while the victim’s family backed the appeal and submitted about 70,000 signatures.