Former Moloko Bar Owner Is Found Guilty for Sword Attack

Last week, Shusaku Shiroyama, the former owner of East 12th Street bar Moloko, was found guilty of attacking Miguel Angel Torres (aka DJ Ulovei) with a samurai sword last year, as reported by the Statesman,

During the trial, Shiroyama, who also went by the name Charlie Valentine, admitted to attacking Torres in January 2017 with a samurai sword and dagger at the DJ’s apartment. He was charged with burglary with intent to commit aggravated assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon

The jury sentenced Shiroyama with probation in light of his mental health issues as noted by his attorney and a psychiatrist, instead of making him serve jail time for 99 years. He said that he was experiencing a manic episode during the night of the attack, as the Statesman reported.

In a separate incident, Shiroyama is also facing a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly brandishing a gun on a Fasten driver in December 2016. That case hasn’t been completed yet, according to the Statesman.

After the January 2017 incident, Moloko co-owner Miguel Jimenez relieved Shiroyama of his managing partner duties. The Clockwork Orange-inspired bar, which opened on Halloween in 2016, seemed to have closed sometime last year. It has been replaced with a new bar called the 13th Floor.

• Jury Weighs Case of Man Who Admits He Stabbed Local DJ [Statesman]
• Ex-Bar Owner Guilty in 2017 Stabbing Attack That Left DJ Injured [Statesman]
• Former Austin Bar Owner Gets Probation for Wounding DJ With Sword [Statesman]
• Former Moloko Bar Partner Attacks DJ With a Sword [EATX]
• All Coverage of Moloko [EATX]