He had previously been convicted of murder, kidnapping and sexual assault of a 23-year-old woman from Dane Ireland. On Tuesday, Albert “Ian” Schweitzer was ordered released from an Arizona prison after new evidence.
– My feelings were all over the place, says Albert “Ian” Schweitzer AP News After the session on Tuesday.
22 years ago, Schweitzer was convicted of the murder, kidnapping and sexual assault of 23-year-old American woman Dane Ireland in Hawaii.
The perpetrator is said to have run over Danish Ireland while she was riding a bicycle, carrying her a short distance from the collision site, before the person is said to have raped and beaten her.
She later died at Hilo Hospital in Hawaii.
During a hearing Tuesday in the courtroom in Hilo, Judge Peter Kubota ordered Schweizer’s release from prison, he wrote. AP News.
– Albert “Ian” Schweitzer must be released from chains immediately, determined judge Peter Kubota.
New evidence
The release of the 51-year-old ex-convict comes after his lawyers presented new evidence during the hearing.
A California DNA expert has presented new evidence that shows his DNA was not found on the shirt of the woman who was found murdered.
– I am very grateful, says Albert “Ian” Schweitzer, who is clearly impressed Hawaii News Nowwhile surrounded by family members.
The new analyzes also show that the tire pattern on Schweitzer’s car differs from the tire pattern at the crash site.
– If the trial had taken place today, the jury would not have found Schweizer guilty of sexual assault and murder, the petition states after the hearing.
alleged innocence
Albert “Ian” Schweitzer was sentenced to 130 years in prison in 2000, and has so far spent 22 of those years in an Arizona prison in the United States.
He always insisted he was innocent.
A man charged with drug offenses called the police in the aftermath of the murder and claimed that his half-brother, Frank Bolen Jr, witnessed the 23-year-old woman’s attack.
Pauline, who was serving time for sexual assault, was questioned by the police again. In the interrogations, he claimed that the brothers Ian Schweitzer and Sean Schweitzer were behind the attack and the killing of the young woman.
Pauline was questioned seven times, giving different explanations each time, and talking about the case.
Although there was no evidence linking Ian Schweitzer and Sean Schweitzer to the murder, the two were indicted, along with Frank Bolen, in 1997.
Pullen later said he wanted to provide information about the Ireland murder to the police in order for the charges against his half-brother to be dropped.
long fight
The Innocence Project and attorneys for Schweitzer and the Lawson Group have fought to obtain a new hearing.
In 2019, lawyers and agents for Schweizer in Hawaii reached an agreement for readmission. No such agreement had been made in Hawaii before.
Over the past three years, the parties to the agreement have exchanged information and reviewed case documents.
Prosecutor Shannon Kagawa asked Judge Kubota to deny a request for a new hearing. He believed that the new evidence would not change the outcome of the new trial.
Judge Kubota disagreed, believing that with the new evidence, the jury would acquit Schweitzer.
Schweizer is now back in his native Hawaii.
– It feels good to be back in Hawaii. The air and water are clean, he told the Associated Press.
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