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Date: 12-31-2000
Case Style:
Case Number:
Judge:
Court: Third Circuit Court, Hawaii County, Hawaii
Plaintiff's Attorney: Hawaii County Hawaii District Attorney's Office
Defendant's Attorney: Not available
Description: Hilo, Hawaii criminal defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with first degree murder.
Albert "Ian" Schweitzer was accused of killing 23-year-old Dana Ireland, who was found in the bushes along a fishing trail in Puna, on the Big Island, naked from the waist down. Ireland was severely injured and her bicycle, which appeared to have been hit by a vehicle, was found mangled at an intersection a few miles away. She died from blood loss in hospital.
In 1994, John Gonsalves told authorities that Ireland was sexually assaulted by Albert Ian Schweitzer and Shawn Schweitzer.
DNA testing exonerated Ian and Shawn but they were indicted without any evidence that they were the perpetrators.
The indictment was eventually dismissed but a jail house informant then claimed that Ian has confessed to the Ireland death.
There was no evidence that Ian was involved in the death of Ireland.
Outcome: Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 130 years in prison.
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: Editor's Note: Defendant was wrongfully convicted.