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Calling Schweitzer
as witness is risky
He is accused of hitting Dana
By Rod Thompson
Ireland with his car before raping
her, then leaving her to die
Star-BulletinHILO -- Today was to be a day of ifs and maybes in the trial of Albert Ian Schweitzer for the 1991 murder of Big Island newcomer Dana Ireland.
Schweitzer may testify in his own defense, but yesterday afternoon Schweitzer and his attorney, James Biven, still hadn't decided.
If Schweitzer testifies, prosecutors may present testimony from Kenneth Gann, the second of two men who allegedly heard jailhouse confessions from Schweitzer.
Schweitzer, 28, is accused of hitting Ireland with a purple 1956 Volkswagen while she was riding her sister's bicycle. He then allegedly ran over her.
With his brother Shawn, 24, and Frank Pauline Jr., 26, Schweitzer allegedly took the injured Ireland to a remote spot where she was raped and left to die.
In a previous trial, Pauline shaved his beard, wore glasses and dress shirts, and was sometimes said to look like a college student. But on the witness stand his rough manner is thought to have damaged his credibility.
Biven knows Schweitzer runs the same risk if he testifies. But unlike Pauline, who confessed often, Schweitzer has maintained his innocence.
The two alleged exceptions were Michael Ortiz, who already testified Schweitzer confessed to him, and Gann, being held in reserve by prosecutors.
The defense will also present perhaps its strongest witness today, a DNA expert who will say sperm found in Ireland's body did not match the DNA of any of the suspects.
Another witness yesterday, Shannon Alfapada testified Schweitzer came briefly to his house in the purple Volkswagen in January 1992. At first Alfapada wasn't sure if the car showed accident damage.
Then he changed his mind. "It was immaculate. I guess I could stake my life on the (absence of a) dent in front. I would have noticed."
Defense witness Sandy Pacheco, who dated Schweitzer in early in 1992, also testified.
She said she used money from her divorce settlement to buy paint in March 1992, so the purple Volkswagen could be repainted yellow. That suggested Schweitzer was in no hurry to repaint damaged spots.
But Pacheco also said Schweitzer left the car in her garage several months before his father painted it, and the father did a fast, sloppy job, unlike the quality work he usually did.
Another time Schweitzer saw television news about a T-shirt linked to the Ireland case, Pacheco said. He asked Pacheco if she ever saw him wear such a T-shirt, she said.
Dana Ireland Archive
