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THE FAMILY OF Nicola Furlong is in Japan today as the trial of the man accused of her murder begins.
The 21-year-old student was found dead in a Tokyo hotel room last May. She had been strangled.
Richard Hinds, a 19-year-old musician from Memphis in the US, stands accused of her murder. He has denied the murder charge, telling the court today that he had no motive, intent or reason to hurt the Wexford native.
According to RTÉ reporter in Tokyo, Robert Short, the case will run for two weeks.
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He also reported that the victim’s mother and father were seated behind prosecutors today, while her sister Andrea sat in the courtroom with a framed photo of Nicola in her arms.
Japanese prosecutors have said that Hinds has shown no remorse and should be punished severely. If convicted, he could face life imprisonment. Although Japan usually considers those under 21 years of age to be minors, a court decided last July to treat Hinds as an adult.
Nicola, an international business student in DCU, was studying at the Takasaki City University of Economics, for the third year of her degree at the time of her death.
On the night of her murder, she and a friend had travelled to central Tokyo to attend a concert by US rapper Nicki Minaj.
The pair missed their train home, and later met two Americans in the busy Shinjuku train station, with whom they travelled back to the Keio Plaza Hotel, where Furlong was found dead the following morning.
Security footage of the girls getting into a taxi was shown in court today.
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“….no motive, intent or reason to hurt the Wexford native.”
Except that you had quite obviously drugged both her and her friend, sexually assaulted her and then she most likely woke up and you panicked. I think that can pretty much explain your motive and reason. The fact that your intent was to just drug and rape her is worth a life sentence in my opinion. How many other girls have been victims of this piece of filth and don’t even realise it? Hopefully he will spend the rest of his life in prison and Nicolas’ family can begin to heal.
In Japan death penalty is usually applied only to multiple murders or most serious country security breaches. One murder wont get you death row there… Sadly… for this animal.
Very disturbing details emerging from the case. I know this is cliche, but my thoughts are genuinely with the family, and especially her Dad. If this was my daughter, my life would be shattered. I hope these apes get the maximum sentence. I hear Japanese prisons are serious!
@ger …. The family asked that the death penalty be taken off the cards. I know this for a fact. The point that he’s an American citizen is irrelevant as he is being tried in Japan.
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