Xerox murderer convicted

The Xerox warehouse where Uyesugi shot his victims

A former Xerox copier repairman has been convicted of killing seven co-workers in Hawaii's worst mass murder case.

A state jury on Tuesday rejected the defence argument that Bryan Uyesugi was legally insane during his shooting spree at a Xerox parts warehouse in November last year.

He still doesn't fully understood what he's done. And when a person doesn't understand what he's done, he can't show remorse

Defence attorney

Uyesugi, an employee for 15 years with Xerox, fired more than 24 shots from a semi-automatic handgun at co-workers gathered for a meeting.

Prosecutors argued that Mr Uyesugi was a vengeful employee who went on the rampage because he feared Xerox would fire him.

He surrendered to police after a five-hour stand-off.

'Haunted by demons'

The defence had never disputed that Mr Uyesugi shot his victims, but argued that he was delusional and haunted by demons for 10 years.

Mr Uyesugi was described as a quiet loner and avid goldfish collector

Mr Uyesugi believed his victims - part of his work team - were sabotaging his copy machines, spying on him and mutilating his fish, the defence argued.

Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said in his closing statement: "Is the defendant legally insane? The answer is no, because Bryan Uyesugi knew, understood, recognised and appreciated that killing seven people was wrong."

According to the prosecution, Uyesugi did not want his victims to have the satisfaction of seeing him fired.

No reaction

Mr Uyesugi sat stony-faced when the verdict of seven counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree murder was read out in a courtroom packed with relatives of the victims.

Emergency response teams rushed to the scene after the incident

"He really didn't have any reaction," defence attorney Jerel Fonseca said.

"I'm assuming he cares about the outcome, but there was no outward reaction."

Uyesugi is expected to be sentenced to mandatory life in prison without parole. Hawaii has no death penalty.

Mr Fonseca could not confirm whether Mr Uyesugi would appeal against the verdict.

"I think he still doesn't fully understood what he's done," Mr Fonseca said.

"And when a person doesn't understand what he's done, he can't show remorse."

Uyesugi, who was described in court as a quiet loner and avid goldfish collector, was the registered owner of 17 guns.