It took jurors less than 90 minutes last week to convict Byran Uyesugi of fatally shooting seven Xerox co-workers in November in Honolulu. Jurors were not convinced by the defense's claim that Uyesugi was legally insane.
Uyesugi, a 15-year Xerox employee, showed not emotion as verdicts were read for first-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder in Hawaii's worst mass killing. The 40-year-old former copier repairman faces a mandatory life prison term without the possibility of parole when he is sentenced Aug. 8. The state does not have a death penalty.
"There is no acceptable reason to explain why this happened," Xerox spokesman Terry Dillman told The Associated Press. "It's shattered seven families, and it's forever changed, in a very profound way, a very special place in the world."
Uyesugi fired a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun more than two dozen times at co-workers who had gathered for a meeting to discuss his light workload. He surrendered to police after a five-hour standoff Nov. 2.
Xerox has been scrutinized for the way it handled previous incidents involving Uyesugi, including death threats against co-workers and his outbursts while servicing copy machines. The company has set up a $400,000 college scholarship fund for the victims' children.
by Todd Nighswonger