Xerox Shooter Gets Life

H O N O L U L U, Aug. 8 -- A Xerox employee who gunned down sevenco-workers was sentenced today to life in prison without parole.

Byran Uyesugi was convicted in June of fatally shooting theseven men and trying to kill an eighth, an attack Deputy ProsecutorChris Van Marter described as “the execution of seven unarmed,good hard-working men.”

Uyesugi was also sentenced to life with parole by Circuit JudgeMarie Milks for the attempted murder of the eighth man. The judgealso ordered Uyesugi to pay $70,000 restitution to the victims’families.

‘You Have Stolen Our Lives Away’

His left hand rubbing his chin, Uyesugi appeared not to payattention as victims’ family members spoke of their pain andsuffering since the November slayings.

“I hate you for what you have done,” Susan Sakamoto saidbetween sobs as she spoke of her husband, John. “You have stolenour lives away and you can never suffer enough for what you havedone.”

Lorna Kanehiro’s husband, Ford, was also killed.

“Byran Uyesugi took away my life,” she said. “My heart wouldleap whenever I saw him. He was my life. It’s been nine months andI still don’t know how to pick up the pieces.”

Uyesugi declined to speak in court.

Moral JustificationHawaii has no death penalty, and defense attorney Jerel Fonsecasaid he’s not sure whether that would have been a deterrent.Uyesugi believes he was justified in killing the men because hefelt they were sabotaging his work and trying to have him fired,the attorney said.

“He’s always felt he was morally justified,” Fonseca said.

Attorneys for Uyesugi said he plans to appeal.