Indiana
Northwest Indiana man trapped in Japan after being convicted of sexual assault fights to clear his name
A northwest Indiana man trapped in Japan for four years, fighting to clear his name.
Christopher Payne was convicted of sexually assaulting a Japanese woman, in a case that hinged heavily on DNA evidence.
There are so many issues with the DNA evidence in the case that Payne’s conviction has been overturned, and a retrial has been ordered. However, Chris is now facing severe health challenges, and his mother says she’s not sure how much longer he can survive in solitary confinement.
Pressing her palm against the inked outline of a hand is the closest Ronda Payne has come to a hug from her only child in more than four years. The outline was traced by Christopher inside his prison cell in Japan, half a world away.
“It’s the only physical thing that I have other than his letters,” Ronda said.
His words are a stark contrast to the young, adventure-loving Crown Point native who moved to Japan in 2013 after teaching himself Japanese as a teenager. He worked several jobs, including as an English teacher, and even found success in mixed martial arts.
The mother and son visited each other regularly until Nov. 25, 2021, when she got a call from a Japanese phone number she didn’t recognize.
“So I picked the phone up, and it was Chris’ boss. ‘Chris wanted me to let you know he’s been arrested,’” she said. “I said, ‘ Is it bad?’ They said, ‘It’s bad.’ What is it? A woman was attacked.”
But here comes the first of several twists—the crime had happened three years before.
In July of 2018, in the city of Ichikawa, a masked man followed a woman from a train station, threatened her, and sexually assaulted her while speaking fluent Japanese. Afterward, investigators recovered only trace DNA evidence from her mouth—mixed with her own—after she spat and rinsed her mouth before contacting police.
In a completely unrelated incident, in February 2020, Chris was arrested after drunkenly falling asleep in the entryway of a stranger’s home and consented to a voluntary DNA swab, not thinking twice about it. Then, in November 2021, police said they discovered that the DNA was “consistent” with that of the woman’s attacker.
“After that day, life stopped for me. It was over,” Ronda said.
“So, the victim originally reported to the police that she believed he was Japanese. He spoke during the attack, and spoke in perfectly unaccented Japanese, which is pretty much impossible to do for a non-native speaker,” said freelance journalist Gavin Blair.
Blair, who has lived and worked in Japan for more than two decades, began covering Chris’ case late last year. Not only did Chris not match the original suspect description, but the DNA evidence was anything but solid.
“They tested Chris’ DNA before the crime scene sample, which, as one of his lawyers described it, is like having the answer to the question before you take the test,” he said.
“It looked like they had… that they had been edited in some way,” said forensic DNA consultant Simon Ford.
Ford said he requested the underlying DNA data and found several significant issues.
Not only had the DNA files from the crime scene been edited to look more like Chris’ DNA — without any disclosure — but Ford discovered the DNA expert, appointed by the prosecution, also ran the test 34 times.
“What he did was he tested it over and over again, trying to hit the right value,” Ford said.
He said the DNA evidence would not have met admissibility standards in the United States.
“I think that this evidence really should just be disregarded,” Ford said.
After years of Chris refusing to confess to a crime he didn’t commit, these revelations were so significant that his legal team convinced the Tokyo High Court to overturn his guilty verdict in December of last year, and sent the case back to the Chiba District Court for a retrial.
After years of trying to convince anyone who would listen that her son was innocent and speaking out against Japan’s infamous legal practice, where suspects are held in prolonged pre-trial detention to coerce confessions, the high court’s ruling was an incredible turn of events, but not one that brought him home. Chris was denied bail until his retrial.
Blair said it could be another two or three years, but it’s not impossible to get the retrial.
“Prosecutors have huge amounts of power. Even judges are kind of wary of challenging their power,” he said.
As for Chris’ family.
“He has not talked on a phone. He has not hugged a person. He has not done anything in four years,” Ronda said. “As a mother, I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. I would not.”
And his legal time are trying to raise awareness of his case…
“His case is like a concentration of issues the Japanese justice system has,” said Kiyomi Tsunogae, Chris’ attorney.
And hopefully put some pressure on the court system. Recently, that urgency has deepened after Chris suffered repeated episodes of vomiting blood and persistent headaches. Concerns are now raised that he could die before the case is retried or before a final decision.
“That’s what I’m afraid of. me and other lawyers, too, and other supporters. Really, it’s, we are not exaggerating,” Tsunogae said.
He’s spent four years in solitary confinement. Chris sketched a picture of the cell — a tiny space that closes in around him day by day.
Meanwhile, his mother says she won’t stop speaking out until she can hold her son in her arms.
“That’s our baby,” she said.
Instead of the letters he sends from the other side of the world.
“I will keep surviving,” Ronda read. “I’m tired, mom, but I won’t disappoint you.”
CBS News Chicago reached out to Indiana Congressman Frank Mrvan about the case. His office reached out to the U.S. ambassador to Japan in May of 2025 and was told a consular officer had been conducting regular visits. He also reached out again last week in light of Payne’s now urgent health concerns.
Chris’ family also started a petition demanding due process for him in Japan, posted on Change.org.
U.S. senators from Indiana were also contacted, but neither could provide any guidance on the case. There is also no word yet from the U.S. Embassy in Japan.
In a series-deciding game with postseason implications, both teams understood the importance of starting off hot offensively. It was Indiana who found a way to ride early momentum to a crucial victory.
The Michigan softball team (30-19 overall, 8-13 Big Ten) fell to the Hoosiers (37-13, 14-7) in an 11-2 trouncing. From the start, the Wolverines found themselves chasing the game.
The fireworks were on display early and often for both teams. After struggling to muster much power against junior right-hander Gabby Ellis in Game 2, Indiana responded forcefully in the top of the first with a two out grand slam from center fielder Ellie Goins. Just like that, Michigan faced another deficit to overcome early.
However, the Wolverines responded to the initial Hoosier surge with some power of their own. Junior left fielder Ella Stephenson exhibited the exact power Michigan needed to stay in this game with a two-RBI home run to center.
Early on, this game had the making of an offensive shootout. With both pitchers struggling to deal with the two prolific offenses along with a couple of fielding mishaps, it appeared that the series finale could turn into a race to double digits. That inspired more explosive offense in the second.
Unmarred by the Wolverines’ answer, Indiana continued to cause problems at the plate and on the bases in the second inning. Although Ellis did not allow hard contact to start the frame, hard base running and strong plate discipline allowed the Hoosiers to put pressure on Michigan’s circle with runners on first and third. That set the table for another massive three-run home run from Indiana catcher Avery Parker to extend the lead to 7-2. That paved the way for an early exit for Ellis.
After multiple strong innings of relief from sophomore right-hander Kat Meyers, it looked like the Wolverines had a beacon of hope with the Hoosiers’ offense slowing down. And with back to back singles from junior center fielder Jenissa Conway and redshirt junior catcher Lilly Vallimont, the opportunity to get back in the game was there. But unlike Indiana, Michigan struggled to capitalize with runners on base after a strikeout from senior second baseman Janelle Ilacqua stranded the bases loaded.
Even though Indiana held a five run lead entering the fifth, the Wolverines actually matched the Hoosiers five hits at that point. The difference was, unlike Saturday, Indiana’s early power was too much to handle. Meanwhile, Michigan’s lack of similar clinical hitting made it difficult for it to climb out of that deficit.
Following a strong start, Meyers finally could not hold off the Hoosiers’ offense. A second home run from Parker set the tone for the inning as Indiana put more pressure on the Wolverines with good plate discipline and base running. With yet another four run inning, the Hoosiers put Michigan on the verge of a mercy rule.
And the Wolverines yet again were unable to respond. A leadoff bunt from senior designated player Indiana Langford was all the offense Michigan could manage in the fifth, with Indiana right hander Taylor Hess closing out a five inning performance with three consecutive outs against the top of the order.
Thanks to early firepower, the Hoosiers were able to set the tone for the game and clinch an invaluable series victory.
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Indiana
Indiana Fever 109 – New York Liberty 91: Final score, results, recap, box score, stats – Yahoo Sports
It’s been almost 10 months since Caitlin Clark last suited up for the Indiana Fever. Clark made her long-awaited return Saturday against the New York Liberty in both teams’ first preseason games of the year, with the Fever notching a 109-91 win. The 2024 rookie of the year played just 13 games during her sophomore season as she navigated injuries before officially being shut down in September. As Clark enters her third season in the WNBA, the anticipation might rival that of her rookie year, con
NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark was excited to get back on the court Saturday and play in a WNBA…
NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark was excited to get back on the court Saturday and play in a WNBA game, even if it was just the preseason.
Indiana’s star played in her first game for the Fever in nine months after injuries derailed her second season, limiting her to 13 games.
“This isn’t a real game, I understand that, but that’s how we treat it like a real game,” Clark said before the Fever faced the New York Liberty. “I think anytime you get to put on your uniform and lace up your shoes you don’t take that for granted, especially after coming off last year when I didn’t get to do that very much.”
Clark said she had some nerves and only expected to play about 20-25 minutes.
“Get out there, run around, you know, it’s going to be a little sloppy for both teams,” she said. “That’s kind of what preseason games are.”
Fever coach Stephanie White noticed a difference in Clark this preseason as opposed to her first two in the league.
“I think that’s the thing, watching her play with joy,” White said. “In practice her energy is different, carrying herself in a different way.”
This wasn’t Clark’s first basketball game since suffering a season-ending injury last July. She played for USA Basketball in a World Cup qualifying tournament last month and earned Most Valuable Player honors.
“She was itchy and antsy before training camp started,” said White, who coached her in USA Basketball as well. “Glad she had those games with USA Basketball and came into training camp having played. Now it’s fine tuning.”
While Clark played, a few of the Fever’s others didn’t. Aliyah Boston was out while still recovering from a lower-leg injury. Lexie Hull is also working her way through a hamstring issue.
White said both would have played if it was a regular-season game.
The Fever were also without Ty Harris (knee) and Damiris Dantas, who is not with the team yet.
New York was missing Rebecca Allen, Marine Fauthoux and Satou Sabally, who were out to build their fitness up. Sabally was the biggest offseason acquisition by the Liberty, signing as a free agent.
Leonie Fiebich, Raquel Carrera, Pauline Astier and Ugonne Onyiah weren’t with the Liberty yet as they were finishing up their overseas commitments.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
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