Northwest Indiana man jailed in Japan despite overturned sexual assault conviction breaks silence
A Northwest Indiana native trapped in a Japanese prison, caught in the cruelty of a judicial system that refuses to let him go, even after overturning his conviction, is breaking his silence.
Chris Payne, in his own handwriting, sent a letter to CBS News Chicago from his prison cell in Chiba, east of Tokyo.
"I am Japan's best-kept dirty secret," he wrote.
The Crown Point native, who moved to Japan more than a decade ago, has been held in solitary confinement for nearly five years. He was arrested for the 2018 sexual assault of a woman, which he has adamantly claimed from the beginning that he had nothing to do with.
Payne didn't even fit the suspect description, but police claimed they had DNA evidence that tied him to the crime.
That evidence was heavily edited, manipulated and tested repeatedly, according to forensic DNA consultant Simon Ford with Lexigen Science and Law Consultants.
"What he did was he tested it over and over again, trying to hit the right value," he said.
He said the DNA evidence would not have met admissibility standards here in the United States.
"I think that this evidence really should just be disregarded," he said.
Chris' conviction was overturned, but the court in Japan wouldn't let him out of isolation while waiting for a new trial, which probably won't come until sometime next spring.
Chris, in a letter to CBS News Chicago, wrote, "I have been fighting for my life in solitary confinement for almost five years because the implications of my innocence could shame a nation averse to shame."
Chris' mom, Ronda Payne, says she's been in more torment than anyone and is fighting for answers from her home in Northwest Indiana.
"These people do not care and my concern is that America is just as quiet as Japan is," she said.
And since Chris' story was first covered, it has gained more traction.
Payne shared a statement from the Polish Institute of Human Rights and Media calling on Japan's legal system to complete a "prompt, fair and transparent retrial" and to explain the massive DNA issues in this case.
Chris writes that prosecutors are reluctant to let him go because doing so could raise questions about other DNA cases handled by the forensic specialist involved in his case — a highly decorated scientist who has worked on more than 1,000 other cases.
"If you're reading this, please, help me. I'm not sure how much I have left in me. Don't let them keep me a secret," he wrote.
Chris has been plagued with health problems in prison. In his letter, he wrote about unexplained chronic bleeding from his nose and mouth. His family has raised questions about whether he is getting proper medical treatment while he awaits trial.
The U.S. Department of State confirmed with CBS News Chicago that they are aware of Payne's detention, has visited him several times and is providing consular assistance to him. They had no further comment.
