Byran Uyesugi- Xerox mass murder:
1999
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Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murder:
The shootings
• The Xerox workplace mass murder occurred
on November 2, 1999, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Service technician Byran Uyesugi reported to
work at the Xerox building and opened fire
with a 9mm Glock handgun. Uyesugi shot and
killed seven co-workers (six co-workers and his
supervisor).
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
The shootings
• After the shooting, Uyesugi fled in a company
van. By mid-morning, police cornered Uyesugi
in the mountains above downtown Honolulu.
After a nearly five-hour standoff, Uyesugi
surrendered to police.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Firearm enthusiast
• Uyesugi was employed by Xerox as a copier
technician since 1984. He lived with his elderly
father. He raised goldfish and koi; he restored
classic cars. He was on the high school rifle
team, and had an extensive collection of
firearms. At the time of the murders, he had
as many as 25 registered firearms dating back
to 1982. Police also recovered eleven
handguns, five rifles and two shotguns from
Uyesugi's father.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Paranoid delusions
• Uyesugi felt that his co-workers were engaged
in patterns of harassment, including
tampering with Xerox machines after he
repaired them. In 1993, he reportedly made
threats against other co-workers. Xerox
activated their threat assessment team after
he kicked in and damaged an elevator door,
and he was ordered to undergo inpatient
psychiatric evaluation.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
1993 examination
• The psychiatrist (Dr. Mee-Lee) and
psychologist (Dr. Acklin) who examined him
found that Uyesugi suffered from a delusional
disorder and paranoia, but found him not to
be imminently dangerous. He was released
from the hospital and ordered by Xerox to
follow up with psychiatric care. Six years later
he committed the mass murder.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Psychopathology
• Uyesugi reported experiencing auditory (voices in
his head) and visual (a black shadow following
him) hallucinations. He alleged that there was a
conspiracy, and that his home was bugged with
listening devices. He felt that his co-workers were
engaged in patterns of harassment, backstabbing
behavior, and spreading of rumors. In 1993,
Uyesugi told his brother that a shadow pinned
him down. He thought his house was haunted.
The family had the house blessed by a Shingon
priest in 1997.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
The trial
• The trial was held in May 2000. Uyesugi
pled not guilty by reason of insanity.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Prosecution experts
• Many experts testified at trial. Prosecution
witness Dr. Michael Welner testified that
although Uyesugi was schizophrenic, he
carried out the shooting because he was angry
that he would be fired for insubordination,
and that his own account of concealment
before the crime demonstrated that he knew
what he had done was wrong.
Bryan Uyesugi-Xerox mass murders:
Prosecution Experts-Dr. Welner
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Prosecution Experts-Dr. Hall
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Prosecution Experts-Dr. Hall
Dr. Hall provided testimony which demonstrated Uyesugi’s
state of mind: More than four months after the shootings,
Uyesugi showed little remorse and made chillingly derogatory
remarks about the according to Dr. Hall’s testimony.
Dr. Hall testified that Uyesugi told him the shootings transformed
"twoparent families to one-parent families." But Hall said Uyesugi added,
"My life is totally changed, too. I’’m locked up and in jail now.“
When Hall asked Uyesugi if he felt remorse about the shooting,
Uyesugi held his fingers apart about a quarter-inch and replied, "A
little bit."
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Prosecution Experts-Dr. Hall
Hall also asked what he would say to the victims if he had a
chance. According to Hall, Uyesugi responded :
• To John Sakamoto, "F--- you for screwing with machines."
• To Ford Kanehira, "You talk tough, but you are a fag and a
wimp."
• To Peter Mark, "Go play games on your laptop."
• To Ronald Kataoka, "You fooled with the wrong guy."
• To his supervisor Melvin Lee, "You should have stayed being
a technician."
• To Jason Balatico, "You are a thief and a disgrace to the
FBI."
• To Ronald Kawamae, "You deserve to die."
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Prosecution Experts-Dr. Hall
• Hall testified that Uyesugi’s "gross insensitivity" was
an indication of a character disorder that led Uyesugi
to fire his 9mm handgun 28 times, hitting
the seven victims 25 times, at the Xerox warehouse
on Nimitz Highway last year.
• Hall said Uyesugi also suffered from a delusional
disorder, which included thinking Balatico was an
undercover FBI agent, but the psychologist said the
illness only provided the "direction" for the violence
and did not render Uyesugi legally insane.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Defense Experts
• Defense experts Dr. Park Dietz and Dr. Daryl
Matthews testified for the defense that
Uyesugi was insane, citing the delusions about
how others were tampering with his Xerox
machines and fish.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Defense Experts
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Evaluating Experts
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Evaluating Experts
• Dr. Mee-Lee and Dr. Acklin testified as to the
findings from the psychiatric and psychological
evaluation conducted 6 years prior to the
shootings. They found Uyesugi had a
delusional disorder but was not imminently
dangerous.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
The verdict
Starbulletin.com
Tuesday, June 13, 2000
XEROX SHOOTINGS TRIAL
The jury took 75 mintues
to reach its verdicts
• After a 10-day trial, the jury found Uyesugi
sane and guilty of seven murders and one
attempted murder. The 12 jurors took less
than two hours to deliberate.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Aftermath
• Family members of seven men shot to death by
Uyesugi on Nov. 2, 1999, filed lawsuits in Circuit
Court yesterday against Xerox and physicians for
negligence and emotional distress.
• In the lawsuit, the victims' families alleged that
physicians at Castle and Kaiser medical centers
were negligent by failing to provide adequate
warning to others of Uyesugi's mental illness and
to arrange continued care for Uyesugi.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Aftermath
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Friday, January 28, 2005
Families of Uyesugi victims in confidential
settlement of lawsuit
The lawsuits were settled prior to the civil trials.
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Aftermath
• Uyesugi unsuccessfully appealed his conviction
based on technicalities in jury instructions.
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF
HAWAI`I
STATE OF HAWAI`I, Plaintiff—Appellee vs.
BYRAN UYESUGI, Defendant-Appellant
NO. 23805
APPEAL FROM THE FIRST CIRCUIT COURT
(CR. NO. 99-2203)
DECEMBER 26, 2002
Bryan Uyesugi- Xerox mass murders:
Aftermath
• The court concluded, “In light of the
foregoing, we affirm the judgment of
conviction of the first circuit court.”
• Uyesugi is serving his life sentence without
parole sentence.