HONOLULU — Two Native Hawaiian siblings, convicted in the 1991 murder of a visiting tourist, have filed a federal lawsuit claiming local law enforcement framed them due to immense pressure to resolve a prominent homicide case. They allege that the investigation was further mishandled last year, preventing the identification of the true perpetrator despite advancements in DNA testing methodology.
Albert “Ian” Schweitzer had served over twenty years in prison for the murder of Dana Ireland, a 23-year-old tourist from Virginia. Ireland was discovered barely alive along a fishing path in a remote area of the Big Island, having suffered rape and severe beating before eventually succumbing to her injuries in a medical facility.
While Ian Schweitzer consistently proclaimed his innocence, his brother Shawn Schweitzer accepted a plea bargain, admitting to manslaughter and kidnapping in exchange for time served and probation following a jury’s conviction of Ian in 2000.
The brothers assert in their lawsuit that they had no involvement in Ireland’s murder, emphasizing that authorities failed to produce any physical evidence tying them to the crime. This legal action was initiated on Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Honolulu, citing Hawaii County, its police chief, several former detectives, and a prosecuting attorney as defendants. The county and the police chief have refrained from commenting on the ongoing litigation.
The legal suit claims that the alleged misconduct persisted into recent times, when breakthroughs in DNA analysis revealed a new potential suspect, Albert Lauro Jr., who tragically took his own life after police collected a DNA sample from him. The Schweitzers’ attorneys argue that law enforcement did not pursue charges against Lauro, a 57-year-old who resided less than two miles from where Ireland’s body was located, despite having DNA evidence linking him to the crime scene.
“Instead, the defendants allowed Mr. Lauro, who held a dangerous secret for over twenty years, to return home and act freely,” the lawsuit states.
The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages on various claims, including breaches of their constitutional right to due process, conspiracy, and malicious prosecution. Attorney William Harrison, representing the brothers, indicated that they are also pursuing compensation from the state for their wrongful convictions. He mentioned that Ian Schweitzer is eligible to receive $50,000 for each year he was incarcerated unjustly, while Shawn Schweitzer served one year in jail.
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This article has been revised to correct the name of the victim, who is identified as Dana Ireland, not Dan Ireland.
