420は世界的な大麻を意味する数字だが、1026は日本における大麻にとって忘れられない日になるかもしれない。
420 is the number that signifies cannabis worldwide, but 1026 may be a day to remember for cannabis in Japan.
1-1〈認否保留の意味〉
さまざまな裁判では「無罪か有罪か」を争うことになる。しかし、いくつかの例外を除けば、多くの日本の大麻裁判においては「ごめんなさい」することによる抒情酌量を求め、少しでも早く法廷を去る事が一般化している。裁判所も検察も形式的に裁判を進める。大麻の単純所持の初犯において大抵は「実刑6ヶ月 執行猶予3年」くらいで落ち着くのが定番であり、それが裁判官も検察官も、そして被告人、弁護人も、おそらくは傍聴人も、さらには取り締まる側もアンダーグラウンドな大麻を良く知る人たちも含めて半ば決まり事のようになってきた。裁判所はこれまで積み重さねてきた判例をもとに、淡々と流れ作業のように多くの大麻裁判を進めてきた。そのようないわば形骸化した、ある種儀式と化した法廷で、「無罪か有罪か」を争うのではなく「認否保留」、つまりそもそも罪そのものがあるのかないのかを争点としてはじまった裁判は、異例中の異例ともいうべき大麻裁判のはじまりとなり得るのだ。
この裁判は、日本語の発音でいう葉っぱの日、本年8月8日、群馬県で大麻取締法違反の容疑で逮捕された大藪龍二郎さんの裁判だ。その第一回公判が群馬県前橋地方裁判所第1号法廷で行われたのが10月26日のことだ。弁護人は人権派弁護士としてこれまで多くの大麻裁判を手掛けてきた丸井英弘弁護士。clubhouseで事前に告知していたこともあり、コロナの影響で座席数を半分の20人に絞られた傍聴席は全国から集まったさまざまな経歴と職業を持つ19人の傍聴人で埋まった。
「葉っぱの日に捕まり、9月3日の草の日にやっと丸井さんと会えたところからはじまったというのも出来過ぎな気がしています」という大藪さん。最初から〈認否保留〉を考えていたわけではないという。
「世界情勢やさまざまな大麻関連の記事を証拠関係として事前に提出したのですが、全部拒否で扱ってもらえなかった。そうであるならば〈問い〉として私の抱えている疑問点を一つずつ質問していきたい、裁判の争点であれば話ができるだろうと考えたんです」
「何故裁判で主張と主張をぶつけ合うことができないのかがわからなかった。裁判所は疑問をぶつける場、納得いかないことをお互い話し合い、納得する場です。最低限、話ができる場を与えてくれるのならば素朴な疑問をぶつけることを最初からやってみようと」
「〈この疑問が解けない限り認否を保留したいと思います〉の発言に法廷は一瞬のざわめき、えっ！？という傍聴席からの声が聞こえて、思わず顔をあげる裁判官の姿もありました」
〈新しい大麻裁判のカタチ1-2へ続く〉
1-1〈Meaning of "pending arraignment
In various trials, the question is "innocence or guilt". However, with a few exceptions, in most marijuana trials in Japan, it is common to leave the courtroom as soon as possible to seek leniency by saying "I'm sorry. Both the court and the prosecutor proceed with the trial formally. The standard sentence for a first offense of simple possession of marijuana is usually "six months in jail and three years of probation," and this has become a rule of thumb for judges, prosecutors, defendants, defense attorneys, and perhaps even bystanders, as well as law enforcement and those who are familiar with underground marijuana. It's become a rule. The courts have proceeded with many marijuana trials as if it were an unhurried process based on the precedents that have been accumulated over the years. In such a skeletal courtroom, which has become a kind of ritual, the trial began not with a question of "innocence" or "guilt" but with a question of "pending arraignment," that is, whether or not there is a crime in the first place.
This is the trial of Ryujiro Oyabu, who was arrested for violating the Marijuana Control Law in Gunma Prefecture on August 8, Leaf Day. The first trial was held on October 26 at the Maebashi District Court Branch 1 in Gunma Prefecture. The defense attorney was Mr. Hidehiro Marui, a human rights lawyer who has been involved in many marijuana trials. The seats, which were halved to 20 due to the corona, were filled by 19 people from all over the country with a variety of backgrounds and professions, thanks to advance notice at the clubhouse.
"Mr. Oyabu says, "I think it's too much to say that it all started when I was caught on Leaf Day and finally met Mr. Marui on September 3, Grass Day. He said that he was not thinking of "withholding admission or denial" at first.
"I submitted articles on world affairs and various Cannabis-related topics as evidence in advance, but they refused to deal with them all. If that's the case, I thought I'd like to ask my questions one by one, and if they were issues in the trial, we could talk about them.
"I couldn't understand why we couldn't argue with each other in court. The court is a place to raise questions, a place where we can discuss and agree with each other on things we don't agree with. At the very least, if they're going to give us a place where we can talk, we should try to ask simple questions from the beginning."
The courtroom buzzed for a moment as he said, "I would like to withhold my confirmation or denial until this question is answered. The courtroom buzzed for a moment, and the judge looked up involuntarily when he heard a voice from the audience say, "What?