The Honolulu Advertiser from Honolulu, Hawaii • 1

Vf err a Complete coverage inside ALOHA! ONOAHU 50t Copyright 2000 8(i-74Mostly sunny WEATHER, www.honoluluadvertiser.com June 14, 2000 in WcdlSSSdSy gfencs Milks returned from vacation. PROSECUTION: Uyesugi murdered the men in "cold blood" out of anger and hate. DEFENSE: Uyesugi should have been acquitted by reason of insanity or convicted on lesser manslaughter charges. VERDICT: First-degree murder, life Jury rejects insanity defense in murders of 7 co-workers without parole; attempted second-degree murder, life with parole. VICTIMS: The seven dead were John Sakamoto, Ford Kanehira, Peter Mark, Ron Kataoka, Melvin Lee, Jason Balatico, Ronald Kawamae.

Steven Matsuda escaped, but a shot narrowly missed him. SENTENCING: Aug. 8. Upsugi trial at a BYRAN UYESUGI, 40, convicted of the Nov. 2 murders of seven Xerox coworkers and trying to kill an eighth worker.

DELIBERATIONS: About one hour and 20 minutes. TRIAL: Opened May 15, included 10 days of testimony, then recessed for 10 days until Circuit Judge Marie Byran Uyesugi, flanked by defense the verdict is read in Circuit Court. No words can explain deeds of son, brother Ey Sally fipgar Advertiser Staff Writer Hiroyuki Uyesugi, father of the man convicted of the worst mass murder in the state's history, looked beaten by the burden of his younger son's crimes. Not long after a Honolulu jury convicted Byran Uyesugi of killing seven co-workers, his father returned home late yesterday afternoon to the small wooden house on Easy Street he shared with his two grown sons. "There is nothing to say," he said quietly and politely as he climbed out of his faded silver Mazda "Shhh," he said, pressing his index finger against his mouth.

"There is nothing to say." He turned away from the crowd of reporters and cameras surrounding him and said: "I have just come from my lawyer's. I have nothing to say." Late last night his attorney, Lester Leu, issued a written statement from the elder Uyesugi. Addressed to each of the widows and family members, it said: "Please accept my deepest apologies for this tragedy. I know that no words can bring back your loved ones. Please accept my prayers for the anger, grief and sorrow this has caused you and your families.

I am sorry." Yesterday afternoon, the father's shoulders were slumped, and his See FAMILY, A3 4 Sections, 52 Pages Cy Ken Kobayashi Advertiser Courts Writer A Circuit Court jury needed only about 80 minutes yesterday to convict Byran Uyesugi of first-degree murder and reject his claim that he was insane when he gunned down seven fellow Xerox workers last November. As widows of the slain men gasped in relief at hearing the verdict, the 40-year-old former copy machine repairman showed no emotion His conviction means he will be sentenced on Aug. 8 by Circuit Judge Marie Milks to a mandatory life prison term without parole. Because Uyesugi never denied that he killed the men, his defense rested on proving that he was insane at the time of the murders. But the prosecution's descriptions of his deliberate, measured actions on the day of the murders, as well as testimony from experts that Uyesugi understood what he was doing was wrong, apparently drew the jurors a clear path to deciding his fate.

"I'm obviously pleased we got that verdict, but it's profoundly inadequate to address how much we lost," Prosecutor Peter Carlisle said. Uyesugi's lawyer, Jerel Fonseca, said his client didn't express any reaction or talk about the verdict afterward. He said its swiftness wasn't "unexpected." "I think the nature of the case, I think the fact that the insanity defense is difficult to prove, I think the fact that the insanity defense is difficult to buy for the jury all of Sea UYESUGI, A3 OntteWsb Online message board: Tell us what you think of the verdict Video of the reading of the verdict Previous stories, interactive map, tribute to the victims. www.honolutuadvertiser.com $6,000 from its Pepsi machines. "If the funds go right back to the kids in a positive way, then why not (sell soda)?" said Campbell High principal Louis Vierra.

But some worry about the impact on student health. "The Department of Health is concerned that the sale of soda will exacerbate existing health problems," Anderson said. "Soda has virtually no nutritional benefit it's empty calories." Board of Education Chairman Mitsugi Nakashima said the board will weigh Anderson's concerns as it reviews its policy allowing soda in schools. 0 A i it 7 CORY LUM The Honolulu Advertiser Merry Lynn Balatico reflects on how much the children can take. Father's Day comes with emptiness By Tanya Bricking Advertiser Staff Writer Merry Lynn Balatico wondered what she would tell her children.

What would she tell them about the man who took their father's life? The guilty verdicts rendered yesterday against Byran Uyesugi in the trial for Hawai'i's worst mass killing helped give Balatico the words. At least she could tell them 12 jurors agreed that Uyesugi should be sent away to prison because he was guilty of murder. He was guilty in the Nov. 2 deaths of Jason Balatico, Ford Kanehira, Ron Kataoka, Ronald Kawamae, Melvin Lee, Peter Mark and John Sakamoto. See WIDOWS, A3 "It's going to be a heated discussion when this thing gets introduced," Nakashima said.

A board committee last week expressed concerns about commercialism in schools that it could get out of control as schools make their own deals with soda companies and asked for more accountability in how soda pro-, ceeds are used. Meanwhile, Vierra said students should be able to decide for themselves. "We keep saying, let's have kids be more responsible for their and then we take away their choices," he said. Pool photo via Associated Press attorneys Rodney Ching, left, and Jerel Fonseca, shows no reaction as The defense now will consider whether to appeal his murder conviction. Health wony could force school soda sales to fizzle Classified C9-16 Comics 09 Crosswords D2 Movie ads D7 Obituaries B2 Stocks is finalizing a three-year agreement with the state Department of Education to hand over some of the money Hawaii received in its settlement with the tobacco industry.

The money is intended to teach children about healthy lifestyles. But Health Department Director Bruce Anderson said it's hypocritical to allow students to walk out of a health lesson and buy a soda from a school vending machine. "This policy is sending very mixed messages to kids," Anderson said. "We need to practice what we preach." "If we find the schools are not supporting the intent of the program, we would simply pull the funding," he added. That presents principals with a dilemma because the sale of soda brings much-needed money into their schools.

Fifty-six percent of Hawai'i's public schools have vending machines. A relaxation of DOE rules last year allowed them to stock the machines with caffeinated drinks such as Coke and Pepsi. Schools use the commission from those drinks for student activities and supplies. In the first three months of this year, Campbell High School earned more than State official may withhold program money By Alice Keeslng Advertiser Education Writer The debate over soda in Hawai'i's schools is heating up as the state health director warns that schools selling soda might not see any of the $5.4 million for a new health program. The state Department of Health "4090 0000 A Gannett Newspaper.