As it turns out, these sisters were sentenced to two years for "conspiracy to commit treason."
From this article from the Cleveland Japanese American Citizens' League (p.5, "A Case of Disloyalty" by Roy Ebihara):
During the course of the trial and hearings, the federal prosecutors presented no compelling evidences to show that the sisters committed treasonable acts since it became clear by testimonies that in escaping, the two POWS had no intention to go back to Germany to fight again. In essence, the sisters’ motive to aid the POWS was simply romantic. It can be considered a case of disloyalty and betrayal, but only to their husbands for their foolish misbehavior....
Yet because the three sisters were “born to Japanese parents and that they were adulterers”, the twelve jurors found them guilty of betraying the U.S. beyond a reasonable doubt. Thereupon the presiding judge upheld the jurors’ findings, sentenced Flo Otani, Toots Wallace, and Billie Tanigoshi to two years in the penitentiary on the conspiracy to commit treason charge, but not for treason per se.
Yet because the three sisters were “born to Japanese parents and that they were adulterers”, the twelve jurors found them guilty of betraying the U.S. beyond a reasonable doubt. Thereupon the presiding judge upheld the jurors’ findings, sentenced Flo Otani, Toots Wallace, and Billie Tanigoshi to two years in the penitentiary on the conspiracy to commit treason charge, but not for treason per se.
A legal scholar named Eric Muller has written more about this case.
Thanks for the post!
Posted by: Business Capital Loans | December 22, 2009 at 09:23 PM