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Schweitzer
sentence held up
by new info
Police information on the
By Rod Thompson
Ireland killing not disclosed in
court brings about the delay
Star-BulletinHILO -- Sentencing of Albert Ian Schweitzer for the 1991 murder of Big Island newcomer Dana Ireland, scheduled for this morning, was postponed today because of new police information which was not disclosed in court.
"We received this morning written information from the Hawaii County Police Department," Deputy Prosecutor Lincoln Ashida told Judge Riki May Amano. He called the information "germane," but gave no further description of it.
Schweitzer's attorney, James Biven, told the judge he had been informed about the information but hadn't seen it.
Schweitzer's father Jerry said outside the courtroom, "I'm as confused as you. I hope it's something good."
Amano postponed sentencing to April 24 at 1 p.m. Three motions will also be heard then.
One filed by Biven would set aside the Feb. 16 verdicts which found Schweitzer, 28, guilty of murder, kidnapping and rape, possibly leading to a new trial. A second would acquit him outright.
A prosecution motion also to be heard would extend the normal sentences of life for murder and 20 years each for kidnapping and rape, to life for all three convictions.
Trial testimony indicated Schweitzer drove a Volkswagen "bug" which deliberately hit Ireland, 23. She was then taken to a remote spot where she was beaten, raped, and left to die.
Dana Ireland Archive
