01x09 - Promise

[bunniefuu]

As you all know,

when it comes to criminal cases,

Japan is often considered to be
behind other countries.

For instance, in many countries,

the suspect has the right

to have an attorney present
during questioning.

This is not the case in Japan.

If the suspect denies the crime,
their detention is extended.

If they admit to the crime,
they are granted bail.

Some refer to this system
as "hostage justice," and criticize it.

It sounds as if
the suspect is held hostage

and coerced into confessing.

Absurd!

Also, it is most regrettable

that due to the unlawful actions
of one prosecutor,

trust in the prosecution
has been significantly shaken.

This is truly disappointing.

My sincere apologies.

My sincere apologies.

Now, what will we do?

Here today, I want to strongly declare

that we should not be cowed
and that we should remain confident!

We, the prosecution, obey the law,

are faithful to our duties,
and do what must be done.

In the first place,

the people want
guilty individuals to be punished.

We have taken their will seriously

and have been seeking the truth.

That is precisely how we've maintained

a conviction rate of 99.9%,
a rarity even globally!

Now is the time to restore
the authority of the prosecution...

and show the world

that we, the prosecution,
represent justice!

I'm truly sorry!

But I won't let it end here.

We're working on finding a way

to get a retrial as soon as...

Thank you.

I don't blame my situation on you.

My dabbling in embezzlement

and my false confession...

They were all due to my own weakness.

There's no reason for you to apologize.

You're the one who sacrificed
so much of your life for me and Saya.

It must've felt so long.

Thanks to you...

I was able to see Saya again.

Even yesterday, she showed me a picture.

Here are Mill and Mame.

Don't they look just like Cocoa?

I can't wait to show them to you.

My hands...

are warm.

I'm...

alive right now.

I was able to feel that again.

And that's truly enough for me.

Mr. Shimizu!

You have every right...

to experience more happiness!

I promised to secure an acquittal for you.

Please give me

just a little more...

a little more time.

ITOI FAMILY MURDERS CASE
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT

Mr. Akizumi isn't coming out today either.

It seems he isn't even going home.

He's reviewing the case files
he has already reviewed many times.

By the way, did you meet
the reporter acquainted with Ms. Sawahara?

I learned a lot about
the circumstances from 12 years ago,

but nothing decisive
that would lead to a retrial.

I shouldn't be surprised.

Finding new evidence isn't so easy.

After all, it took five years
to find that alibi footage.

I'm back.

Hey.

How did it go with your dad?

He refused to see me.

But I'll keep going

until he agrees
to testify about the footage.

Please do.

We don't have
any other options at the moment.

What's the matter, youngster?

How about we sort things out once?

On March 5th, 2012,
at Mr. Makoto Itoi's home

in Hanamigawa Ward,
Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture,

his whole family was found dead.

The night before,
the family had consulted a doctor,

citing symptoms
such as vomiting and diarrhea.

But they passed away before dawn.

After the on-site investigation,

a high concentration
of thallium was detected,

leading to the conclusion of poisoning.

According to neighbors,

around 7:30 p.m. on the night
before their deaths,

the Itoi family hosted
a dinner party with a guest.

The police investigated

under the assumption
that this guest brought in the poison.

No hair, sebum, skin, or any other trace
of the culprit was found at the scene.

Everyone related to Mr. Itoi
was thoroughly investigated,

resulting in the arrest of Mr. Shimizu,
who was close to the family.

However, on the night in question,

Mr. Shimizu was actually searching
for Saya's stuffed animal in Hishimi Park.

According to Ms. Momose's file,

Mr. Shimizu was seen on covert footage
captured by Mr. Hiyama at 7:41 p.m.

On the other hand, the suspected culprit
visited the Itoi home around 7:30 p.m.

Given the distance,

it was impossible for Mr. Shimizu
to be at Mr. Itoi's home at that time.

However, no one was aware of the existence
of the footage at that point.

And only Saya knew
that Mr. Shimizu had gone to a park.

The police believed

Mr. Shimizu had coached
his 5-year-old daughter to say things.

Additionally, evidence
of his embezzlement of company funds

and his conflicts
with Mr. Itoi were uncovered,

further intensifying
suspicion against him.

I suggest you all go through this as well.

ITOI FAMILY MURDERS CASE

I wonder what Ms. Momose was like.

She was quite accomplished.

What?

Mr. Aoyama, you knew her too?

She was my junior at university.

I also aspired to become an attorney
back then, you know.

Is that when you got acquainted
with Mr. Akizumi, then?

Yes.

I tried the bar exam
four times, but failed.

Despite how he may seem,
he can get extremely nervous.

When my wife became pregnant,
I gave up and took a job as a salesperson.

But I reconnected
with Mr. Akizumi five years ago.

That's when I learned
about Ms. Momose's passing.

When I see your notebooks, Mr. Akamine,

they remind me of Ms. Momose.

She used to take notes just like you.

Quite a while ago,

I handed things I thought might be related
to the incident over to Mr. Akizumi.

But as I was organizing,
I found some more.

Thank you very much.

Come in.

She was investigating Mr. Shimizu's case...

the entire time she was in the hospital.

She questioned the doctors about poisons
and gave them a hard time.

Go ahead.

This is the diary Reiko kept
until she passed away.

I couldn't...

I'm already grateful that Mr. Akizumi
is carrying on Reiko's wish.

And now, with another ally like you...

she must be pleased.

Since she was insistent...

I'm sure Mr. Shimizu is innocent.

Please help save Mr. Shimizu.

I'm back.

Welcome back.

Are those Ms. Momose's?

Look at all these labels!

I thought her notes might contain clues.

Was her mother well?

Yes.

Here.

It's Ms. Momose's diary.

April 1st.

I've been assigned
to work under the Mr. Datehara!

He's the prosecutor
everyone in prosecution looks up to.

I'll do my best.

June 10th.

I heard something troubling
about Mr. Datehara.

In the Itoi family murders case in Chiba,

he supposedly suppressed evidence
that could have proven Shimizu's alibi.

Here's the report
on the theft case in Shinjuku.

Because of that incident...

Good work.

Mr. Datehara was promoted
to Deputy Chief Prosecutor.

Is something wrong?

Nothing.

Excuse me.

It's difficult to believe.

But...

if true, it's terrible.

June 21st.

I discussed this with a colleague.

I heard that Akizumi was brought in
to assist back then.

After some digging,
things really are strange.

Shimizu readily confessed
to the embezzlement charges,

but he consistently denied the murders.

Even his detention period...

totaled 65 days.

It was extended
for fabricated reasons, wasn't it?

I'm starting to think he might have been
coerced into confessing.

Akizumi, do you know anything...

Any evidence?

Evidence that Mr. Datehara covered it up.

I don't...

If it's just rumors,
it's not worth verifying.

As a prosecutor,
you should have better things to do.

We already have
enough criminals to deal with.

I later learned

that it was Akizumi
who coerced Mr. Shimizu into confessing.

It was a mistake to seek his advice.

September 6th.

I met Detective Fukazawa.

It seems that rumors about Mr. Datehara
were started because of what he let slip.

A woman came to us
because she was harassed

by someone who sent her
a secretly taken video.

When she showed it to me...

-You saw Mr. Shimizu in it.
-Yes.

He admitted that the video really existed.

So, I reported it to Mr. Kurata, who was
the chief of investigations on this case.

What did Mr. Kurata say?

He said he wanted to examine it carefully
and asked me to hand it over.

So, I did.

Later, I was informed that the man
in the video wasn't Shimizu.

But looking back...

Could you testify to this?

No, of course not.

And keep what I've just told you
to yourself as well.

If you'll excuse me.

Mr. Fukazawa!

Mr. Shimizu was definitely
wrongly accused.

This is a big step forward.

-Could you please ask him again?
-October 26th.

Mr. Shimizu still refuses to meet with me.

I hope he reads my letter.

March 12th.

I learned that Mr. Shimizu's daughter
has been frequenting this dog shelter.

You're Saya, right?

Saya Makino.

I hope to gradually grow closer to her.

May 8th.

Cocoa, Saya's dog,
finally warmed up to me!

Saya is starting to smile more around me.

Get ready, everyone!

Ms. Momose, hurry!

Right.

Oh, it worked.

October 2nd.

I was transferred
to the Utsunomiya office.

It's uncommon for transfers
to occur at this time of year.

Perhaps this is evidence
that I'm getting closer to the truth.

March 27th.

I'm swamped with work.

I wish I could go to Chiba
on the weekend at least

to continue investigating the case.

I don't feel very well.

It might be fatigue.

April 7th.

I was diagnosed with an illness.

I feel helpless.

I don't have time to be hospitalized.

September 16th.

Hospitalized again.

Time is running out.

I called Akizumi.

This...

is for you, Akizumi.

ITOI FAMILY MURDERS CASE

You were still investigating it?

Yeah.

You're already busy,

yet you traveled
between Tochigi and Chiba.

And you neglected your regular checkups.

You want to say I was foolish, right?

Well, you're right.

Now, look what's happened to me.

Mr. Shimizu was definitely
falsely accused.

If you read the file, you'll see.

Akizumi...

You bear responsibility
for coercing Mr. Shimizu into confessing.

Just once...

please review the file.

To Akizumi.

Save Mr. Shimizu.

Now that I'm in this condition,
I understand.

Life is limited

and precious.

I wish...

I could have lived longer.

But...

there's a life that can still be saved.

I wish that no one's life

is taken away due to false accusations.

Their lives should never be taken

because of the arrogance
of the justice authorities.

I strongly believe this...

as one prosecutor.

It is...

my sincere hope...

that we can restore trust and pride
in the justice system.

I wanted to see this future

with my own eyes too.

Alongside Akizumi.

Me too...

Momose.

Here.

It's from Ms. Momose's mother.

I've gone through it all,

but I didn't find any clues
beyond what was already in the file.

I see.

I'm sure Momose
must be grateful for your efforts.

Right.

"Similar?"

It must've fallen out of one of the books.

SIMILAR?

Aren't you going in?

Well, even if you did, you'd probably
only be met with cold stares.

Right now, anyway.

I heard you're staying silent
during your impeachment trial.

I think you'd feel better
if you opened up...

about Datehara being the one
who led you down the path of corruption.

Spoken like a former prosecutor.

Are you planning to interrogate me?

No, I'm not.

I've come to make a request.

Won't you reveal everything at the trial?

When you delivered that verdict,

you didn't know anything.

You trusted the evidence
presented by the prosecution.

And after careful consideration,

you decided that Mr. Shimizu
deserved the death sentence.

You only learned about the possibility
of him being falsely accused

when Prosecutor Momose visited you.

What do you mean?

There was a video that proved
Mr. Yusaku Shimizu's alibi.

But Prosecutor Datehara covered it up.

Impossible.

Mr. Shimizu...

is innocent.

You were clearly shaken.

That's what was noted in Momose's records.

You realized your error

and have been regretting it
ever since, right?

That's why you've been donating
and volunteering at the children's home

where Saya Shimizu lives.

To at least do something to make amends.

But that's like putting a bandage
on a fatal wound.

If you continue to ignore this wound,

it can cost a life.

Before it's too late,

won't you speak out?

It's useless.

I don't know anything.

Datehara...

He never tolerates anyone
who strays from his rules.

You'll be crushed soon too.

I don't care.

When you have nothing to lose,
you can do anything.

Am I wrong,

Judge Seko?

I'm home.

Hey.

Seriously, Yuna!

Welcome back.

What happened?

She said she'd study, but she was
secretly watching videos again.

What?

What's the big deal?

I was among the top
in the mock exams the other day.

Yuna.

I know you're working hard.

But...

it's not okay to break the rules.

People who break the rules get punished.

And it's your father's job
to administer these punishments.

Forget it.

Yuna...

Do I need to punish you too?

Fine. I'm sorry.

Good girl.

Check these out.

Here are the weeklies issued today.

What the...

Datehara is manipulating
information through the media.

"Attorney Akizumi has successfully
secured many acquittals for the accused."

"But he has been unmasked."

"In defending Mr. Keita Hiyama,
who faces a second instance for m*rder,

it is whispered that Akizumi

unlawfully covered up evidence
and suppressed the crime."

This one mentions Mr. Shimizu's case.

"Regarding his claims that
Shimizu was falsely accused,

they lack sufficient evidence."

"Attorney Akizumi has been
in contact with Shimizu's daughter."

"It appears his claims
may be driven by personal emotions."

How awful to mention Saya as well.

Do they think they can ruin people's lives
just to boost sales?

The media might also go to Mr. Hiyama.

Akamine.

On it.

What about the jacket?

It's kept in the office.

Don't worry about it.

Go ahead.

Dad...

He is going to be okay, right?

Yes.

Then I'm fine.

I'll trust you and wait.

We have the media's attention right now.

So, if Akizumi comes here,
it could cause issues for Ms. Saya.

Thank you so much...

for everything.

And for pushing for the retrial.

Thank you for doing your best
despite the lost footage.

Right now,

we're all desperately searching
for evidence that can secure your retrial.

But truthfully, it's not that easy...

So, I've come today to ask you something.

Could you please recount

what happened back then
once more, in detail?

I understand it may be painful
for you to remember.

But...

any trivial information will help.

Please.

Actually...

Please handle this.

All right.

How did it go?

No luck again today.

I see.

What's that?

Mr. Shimizu lent it to me.

It contains his notes from back then.

Did you find any clues?

No.

It's just that...

going through it is quite painful.

May I?

Sure.

Five days since my arrest.

You did it, didn't you?

I was interrogated about my alibi.

Please let me go.

Despite my denials,

they detained me for 10 hours.

Ten days since my arrest.

I was interrogated
about the circumstances of the crime.

The interrogation went on for 11 hours.

No food or drink provided.

Your daughter is still...

As I said, I was...

Vomiting, diarrhea,

ptosis, and flaccid paralysis.

These symptoms were already showing
when you left, right?

Did you enjoy seeing them?

How could I enjoy...

such a cruel sight?!

I have a daughter too!

Haven't you had enough?

Let me out of here!

Let me see Saya!

Please!

Please let me out!

Please!

Twenty-five days since my arrest.

I was interrogated
about the circumstances of the crime.

The interrogation went on for 11 hours.

No food or drink provided.

Listen.

We'll write down that you confessed.

No.

I've lost even the will to respond.

What can I possibly say
to someone who won't listen?

Fifty-two days since my arrest.

How do you think your daughter
will continue living?

"The daughter of a m*rder*r."

She'll have no choice
but to live hiding that fact.

Is Saya the daughter of a m*rder*r?

You've embezzled funds

and k*lled people.

And you continue to lie.

I wonder what your daughter
will think of such a father.

I want to see Saya.

I heard about your wife.

It was a traffic accident.

Your daughter...

has been taken in by a children's home.

I want to see Saya.

I want to see Saya.

I want to see her.

I WANT TO SEE SAYA

It leaves you...

speechless.

Mr. Akizumi has been carrying
the regret all this time.

Is something the matter?

The detective mentioned
ptosis and flaccid paralysis.

What about it?

I'm currently handling
a mass food poisoning case

and researching various poisons.

I don't think thallium could cause such...

Just as I thought!

Vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea,
and other digestive symptoms.

Additionally, neurological symptoms

such as somnolence, coma, convulsions,
blindness, and facial nerve paralysis.

Nowhere does it mention ptosis...

and flaccid paralysis.

Those terms are absent
from the prosecution's report too.

What could this mean?

Either the detective made a mistake or...

Mr. Shimizu remembered it incorrectly.

Or...

Maybe...

Every discovery
and invention in the world...

Every discovery
and invention in the world...

...are built on speculation and theories.

According to the prosecution's report,

the drug and poison test was carried out
at the Chiba Police crime lab.

The test results indicated
that the poison used was thallium.

Mr. Shimizu could have obtained this
from the company's warehouse.

What about it?

The detective who questioned Mr. Shimizu
on the 10th day of his arrest stated this.

"The Itoi family showed

symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea,
ptosis, and flaccid paralysis."

However, thallium does not cause symptoms
such as ptosis and flaccid paralysis.

By the time of the interrogation,

the results indicating thallium poisoning
should have been available.

So, why did the detective
mention these symptoms?

It's possible it was just a mistake.

But terms like
ptosis and flaccid paralysis

are not commonly used unless referenced
from specific documents.

What if this wasn't merely a mistake?

Perhaps someone intentionally altered
the poison test results.

Yes.

Testing poisons is complex
and identifying them takes time.

Thallium sulfate,
easily accessible to Mr. Shimizu,

would've been
compelling material for his indictment.

Mr. Akizumi, you were called in
from the Saitama office

during the final period
of Mr. Shimizu's detention.

By then, the results
had already been altered,

leaving you no room for doubt.

This is just the story we...

If I were to add to your story,
it would go like this.

Datehara was feeling frustrated.

Despite having Mr. Shimizu in detention,

there wasn't
enough evidence to indict him.

...such a cruel sight?!

At this rate, he risked losing Shimizu
due to insufficient evidence.

Let me see Saya!

This would set him back in uncovering

the truth about the Nishi Chiba
Construction embezzlement too.

For Datehara, this outcome
was absolutely unacceptable.

"In that case, I'll fabricate evidence
that incriminates Shimizu," he thought.

With this in mind,

he instructed the head of the crime lab
to alter the test results

to indicate a poison that would cause
symptoms similar to the one used.

Similar?

I see.

SIMILAR?

Momose had realized.

I see.

By "similar," she meant the poison?

There were a few books on poison, right?

-Yes.
-Let's pull them all out.

Let's list everything that shows
symptoms of ptosis and flaccid paralysis,

and find one similar to thallium.

Poliovirus.

The timing for the onset
of symptoms doesn't match.

Enterovirus.

This also doesn't fit the situation.

Next is botulinum toxin.

Botulinum toxin.

Early symptoms include vomiting,
diarrhea, and other digestive issues.

Later symptoms include ptosis,
blurred vision, difficulty swallowing...

and flaccid paralysis.

It's similar.

This must be it, right?

This is it.

So Momose had realized.

"Doctor."

"Tampered"?

"Tampered"?

Perhaps this means...

Momose realized something
after consulting with a doctor.

I've heard from Ms. Momose's mother
that even while hospitalized,

Momose kept investigating the case
and consulted doctors about poisons.

She discovered the possible tampering
and intended to investigate it further.

Mr. Aoyama, do you know
who conducted the poison test?

Satoshi Hiratsuka.
He resigned and now lives in Nerima Ward.

I'll go talk to him right away.

Do so.

Also...

Ms. Shinomiya...

You've finally agreed to see us.

I've come to say something to you.

Stop involving my daughter!

Dad!

Unfortunately,
I have no intention of letting her go.

Your daughter is still valuable to me.

How dare you!

What do you take my daughter for?!

She's an exceptionally skilled
and useful subordinate.

She's particularly effective
at shaking you up.

I'm here today
because I need to ask you something.

It's about the Itoi family murders.

I won't tell you anything.

Is that for your daughter?

Datehara is quite ruthless, isn't he?

He's taken your daughter as hostage.

If you're not careful with your words,
your daughter's future could be ruined.

You may not care if you're arrested,

but you'll protect your daughter.

What a beautiful display of paternal love.

What does that mean?

So you've kept silent all this time...

for my sake?

Just go already.

Give me a break!

So what about my future?

I couldn't care less about it!

Mr. Shimizu was falsely accused
and has no idea when he'll be ex*cuted!

What future could possibly outweigh
someone's life?

And you realize, don't you?

That if Mr. Shimizu didn't do it,
the real culprit is still out there!

And yet...

you've turned a blind eye for years.

How can you...

call yourself a police officer?

In Mr. Shimizu's notebook...

the latter half is all about Saya.

"I want to see her."

I WANT TO SEE HER

Can you even imagine...

I WANT TO SEE SAYA BEFORE I DIE

...how Mr. Shimizu must have felt?

Come on.

Answer me, Dad!

I have imagined it.

Countless times.

Over and over!

When I saw that footage,

honestly, I thought
I should make it public immediately.

But...

By then...

Shimizu's trial had already started.

I'll only say this once.

The police...

never found this footage.

-But...
-No buts!

You're telling me now that he's innocent?

Get real!

Imagine making this public!

This won't just be
your responsibility or mine!

Resigning and abandoning our duties
is out of the question!

That won't absolve us in any way!

Shimizu's family has been torn apart,

and his wife has passed away.

The media will accuse us
of causing her death,

saying, "They deserve the same fate."
"Murderers."

The public's harsh scrutiny
will mercilessly fall on our families!

Even on your daughter!

This...

isn't a threat.

I'm going to have a child soon...

after waiting for so long!

I will bear...

the same cross as you.

I feel...

very sorry...

for Mr. Shimizu.

But now...

it can't...

be undone.

"You m*rder*r!"

To escape that accusation...

you're going to let a person die,
is that it?

As you've said,

even if you regret it now,
the past can never be undone.

But the future is different.

You can still save Mr. Shimizu's life.

Tell me, Mr. Kurata.

The poison used
in the Itoi family murders,

it wasn't really thallium sulfate, was it?

The poison test results were altered!

Dad...

It's possible.

Early in the investigation,

there was confusion regarding the poison.

But then, someone
from the crime lab came with a report.

He said that thallium sulfate
was detected on the table,

and the same substance
was found on the bodies.

I understand
identifying poisons is tricky.

It often requires a great amount of time.

So...

I didn't think
it was particularly unusual.

Can you confirm
that the person from the crime lab...

was Satoshi Hiratsuka?

I can.

But...

I see.

Yes.

He passed away
three years ago due to illness.

Find Hiratsuka's former assistant.

Right.

I've made a list of people
who were Hiratsuka's assistants.

I think I can meet
with some of them this week.

Akamine...

thank you for your help.

I hope we can uncover even a small clue.

Hey!

What's this about?

We're the police.

Is Mr. Masaki Akizumi here?

Why do you want him?

-Hey.
-Hey, hold on!

-Hey!
-You can't!

-Wait!
-Hey!

It's the police.

Are you Mr. Masaki Akizumi?

We have an arrest warrant for you

for covering up evidence in the m*rder
of Hanegi Seiko's president.

Come on, stand up.

Arrest?

Let's go.

Begin searching.

-Right.
-Right.

-Come in.
-Excuse me.

It appears Akizumi was arrested earlier.

Was he now?

Poor guy.

Do you think so?

I think it's only what he deserves.

But are you sure?

You were somewhat in his debt,
weren't you?

HIYAMA

Not really.

After a skilled attorney joined,
he didn't need me anymore.

Should I work on Akizumi's trial?

No.

I'll handle it.

For Akizumi's sake as well,

let's put an end to this.

Mr. Akizumi!

I'll leave the rest to you.

I've dreamed of seeing you
like this for a long time.

How could he conceal evidence of m*rder?

I k*lled him.

He must have left something.

I have something to say.

A precious life is at stake.

I couldn't believe her.

-Shimizu is a criminal!
-Objection!

There's something only I can do.

We will bear the responsibility.

People compete and take from each other.
That's just how the world works.

Together, let's go to hell.