Mainali was convicted and is serving time in Japan for a 1997 robbery-murder. His lawyers have recently submitted proof that the DNA samples taken from the murder victim’s clothes do not in fact match Mainali’s. Mainali has consistently protested his conviction and maintained his innocence.
In the earlier high profile Ashikaga murder case, Sugaya was also convicted based on DNA evidence. However, unlike Maniali, Sugaya confessed to committing the murder. After spending more than 17 years in prison, he was granted a retrial and released. A more advanced and accurate DNA-testing technique showed that there was no match between Sugaya’s DNA and the DNA sample. Sugaya explained that he had confessed due to police pressure. If not for the DNA evidence, Sugaya’s confession may have been subject to closer scrutiny.
Due to its scientific and technical nature, DNA evidence is often given excessive weight or subject to inadequate scrutiny. There are inherent limitations to DNA-testing techniques, not to mention the possibility of human error in the laborious and meticulous testing process.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120120005517.htm
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20110816i1.html
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/adv/chuo/dy/opinion/20100419.htm
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/14/world/asia/14japan.html?pagewanted=all
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