He checked himself out of the hospital on August 12 , 1986 , and remained free .
Because charges in France had been dropped , the French court documents were sealed and were not released to Japanese authorities ; consequently Sagawa could not legally be detained in Japan .
Sagawa checked himself out of the hospital on August 12 , 1986 , and remained free .
Because charges in France had been dropped , the French court documents were sealed and were not released to Japanese authorities ; consequently Sagawa could not legally be detained in Japan .