JUDGES OF THE IMTFE: INTERNATIONAL MILITARY TRIBUNAL FOR THE FAR EAST (CONVENED ON 29 APRIL 1946)

            On this date, 29 April 1946… The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE), also known as the Tokyo Trials, the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, or simply the Tribunal, was convened on April 29, 1946, to try the leaders of the Empire of Japan for three types of war crimes. "Class A" crimes were reserved for those who participated in a joint conspiracy to start and wage war, and were brought against those in the highest decision-making bodies; "Class B" crimes were reserved for those who committed "conventional" atrocities or crimes against humanity; "Class C" crimes were reserved for those in "the planning, ordering, authorization, or failure to prevent such transgressions at higher levels in the command structure.”

Twenty-eight Japanese military and political leaders were charged with Class A crimes, and more than 5,700 Japanese nationals were charged with Class B and C crimes, mostly entailing prisoner abuse. China held 13 tribunals of its own, resulting in 504 convictions and 149 executions.

The Japanese Emperor Hirohito and all members of the imperial family, such as career officer Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, were not prosecuted for involvement in any of the three categories of crimes. Herbert Bix explains that "the Truman administration and General MacArthur both believed the occupation reforms would be implemented smoothly if they used Hirohito to legitimise their changes." As many as 50 suspects, such as Nobusuke Kishi, who later became Prime Minister, and Yoshisuke Aikawa, head of Nissan, were charged but released in 1947 and 1948. Shiro Ishii received immunity in exchange for data gathered from his experiments on live prisoners. The lone dissenting judge to exonerate all indictees was Indian jurist Radhabinod Pal.

The tribunal was adjourned on November 12, 1948.

Please read more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Military_Tribunal_for_the_Far_East

             As I did mention that Teamwork plays an important role in the courts, I will name the 11 judges of the Tribunal. 

HONORING MASTER PATROLMAN RICHARD O. RIGGS [END OF WATCH: 7 JANUARY 1986] (COP KILLER, RONALD KEITH BOYD EXECUTED IN TEXAS ON 27 APRIL 2000)

On this date, 27 April 2000, Cop Killer, Ronald Keith Boyd was executed by lethal injection for the 7 January 1986 murder of Master Patrolman Richard O. Riggs in Texas. Let us honor this fallen police and thank God that justice was served. I got the information about him from ODMP and please go to ‘Victims’ Families for The Death Penalty’ blog to hear from his mother.

Master Patrolman Richard O. Riggs

Master Patrolman

Richard O. Riggs

Oklahoma City Police Department, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Tuesday, January 7, 1986

Bio & Incident Details

Age: 32

Tour: Not available

Badge # Not available

Cause: Gunfire

Incident Date: 1/7/1986

Weapon: Handgun

Suspect: Executed in 2000

Master Patrolman Riggs was shot and killed as he approached a man on a pay phone outside a van at a service station. Patrolman Riggs and his partern recognized the van as one reported to be used in an armed robbery minutes earlier. As he approached the suspect he was shot in the chest and abdomen. The suspect was convicted of his murder and was executed in April 2000.

THE TIGER OF KYUSHU: LIEUTENANT GENERAL TANI HISAO (22 DECEMBER 1882 TO 26 APRIL 1947)

On this date, 26 April 1947, a Japanese War Criminal, Tani Hisao A.K.A the Tiger of Kyushu was executed by the firing squad for his part in the Nanjing Massacre. Let us not forget the thousands of innocent Chinese brutally murdered during World War II.

Lieutenant General Tani Hisao

INTERNET SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hisao_Tani

Hisao Tani (谷 寿夫 Tani Hisao, 22 December 1882 – 26 April 1947) was a Lieutenant General in the Imperial Japanese Army in the Second Sino-Japanese War, and was implicated in the Nanjing Massacre.

Nickname	Tiger of Kyushu
Born	December 22, 1882 Okayama, Japan
Died	April 26, 1947 (aged 64) Shanghai, China
Allegiance	Empire of Japan
Service/branch	Imperial Japanese Army
Years of service	1903–1945
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	Imperial Japanese Army
Battles/wars	Russo-Japanese War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Pacific War

Biography

Tani was a native of Okayama Prefecture. He graduated from the 15th class of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1903 and from the 24th class of the Army War College. He saw service as a second lieutenant in the Imperial Guard's infantry regiment during the Russo–Japanese War. Subsequently, he was posted to Great Britain as a military attaché from 1915–18, during which time he was an official observer for the Japanese government on the combat situation on the Western Front in World War I. After his return to Japan, from 1922–24, he was attached to 6th Regiment/IJA 3rd Division.

In 1924 Tani became an instructor at the Army War College, and his texts on strategy and tactics during the Russo–Japanese War became required reading.

From 1929–32 Tani was assigned to various posts in the Imperial General Staff, and in 1932 when was made Chairman of Military Investigation. In 1933 he took command of the 2nd Imperial Guards Brigade, and in 1934, Commandant of the Tokyo Bay Fortress, and in 1935 Command of the 9th Depot Division.

From 1935–37 Tani was commanding officer of the 6th Division (Imperial Japanese Army), which was assigned to the China Expeditionary Army in December 1937 under the overall command of General Matsui Iwane. The 6th Division fought in North China during the Peiking – Hankow Railway Operation. Shipped south with the Japanese 10th Army, it took part in the end of the Battle of Shanghai, and the Battle of Nanking.

Returning to Japan at the end of 1937, Tani became Commander in Chief of the Central Defence Army until 1939 when he went into reserve and retired. In 1945, towards the end of World War II, Tani was recalled to active service and given command of the IJA 59th Army and Chugoku Army District.

The chief Japanese invader officer Tani Hisao (left), who was in charge of the Nanjing Massacre, 1937, about 300,000 Chinese were killed.

Trial and Execution

After the end of World War II, the Chinese government demanded that Tani be extradited to China to stand trial for war crimes at the Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal. Some historians portrayed the prosecution at the trial as incoherent and incompetent, and pointed out its alleged errors, such as the prosecution repeatedly blaming Tani for actions of the IJA 16th Division (which he did not command), instead of the IJA 6th Division, confusing events between the Battle of Shanghai and the Battle of Nanjing, and accusing Tani of atrocities on dates after which he had already been transferred back to Japan. Nevertheless, as the commander of the IJA 16th Division, General Kesago Nakajima had died in 1945, and General Matsui Iwane would be executed by the Americans after the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, Tani was the highest surviving commander in Chinese custody, and his association in Chinese minds with the Battle of Nanjing and its aftermath meant that a guilty verdict was certain. Tani was convicted of instigating, inspiring and encouraging the men under his command to stage general massacres of prisoners of war and non-combatants and to perpetrate such crimes as rape, plunder and wanton destruction of property, during the Battle of Shanghai, Battle of Nanking and early in its occupation, the Rape of Nanking, and he was consequently executed on 26 April 1947.