In Japan, an 88-year-old grandfather was just sentenced to four and a half years in prison for the murder of his teenage granddaughter. But Susumu Tomizawa, the accused, says he doesn't remember committing the crime due to his Alzheimer's disease.
The incident took place in September of 2020. Tomizawa had reportedly been drinking at the time and was arguing with his 16-year-old granddaughter, Tomomi.
During the argument, he went and got a nearly 7-inch-long kitchen knife from a storage unit. Then he went into her bedroom and repeatedly stabbed her in the neck.
A court heard both sides of the case and ultimately decided that, though Tomizawa says he doesn't remember the murder, he still understood what he was doing. The judge cited a phone call the accused made to his son about his granddaughter's body.
“His manner of committing the crime was dangerous and his strong intent to kill was evident,” the judge said.
The teen had reportedly been living with her grandfather because she wasn't getting along with her parents. But the two had a difficult relationship. She was apparently considering leaving the living situation because of that fact.
The court assigned a doctor to conduct a psychiatric evaluation of Tomizawa. The doctor, Hiroki Nakagawa, confirmed Tomizawa did, in fact, have Alzheimer's disease. He did not believe that impacted his decision-making process.
“He had a motive for committing the crime, such as quarreling with Tomomi, and his actions were purposeful and consistent with his intent to kill, as he stabbed her in the neck,” Nakagawa said.
His condition was still a big consideration, which ultimately helped him to receive a reduced sentence. Most murder cases in Japan are punished by life in prison or even the death penalty. While the minimum sentence is five years, Tomizawa's sentence was slightly less than that, at four and a half.
