Hawaiian man released amid new evidence after spending over 2 decades in prison

ISTANBUL

A Hawaiian man who was behind bars for over two decades after being convicted of rape and murder was set free thanks to new DNA evidence that proved his innocence, according to local media.

Albert Ian Schweitzer, 51, was convicted in 2000 and sentenced to 130 years in prison for the 1991 kidnapping and murder of Virginia tourist Dana Ireland, 23, reported HawaiiNewsNow on Wednesday. Schweitzer spent 23 years in prison.

"The new DNA evidence ... conclusively proves a jury would likely reach a different verdict of acquittal," Judge Kubota told the court on Tuesday after a day-long hearing.

Kubota urged Schweitzer to "move on with his life," the outlet reported, adding that a DNA expert who testified at the hearing said that advances in science showed that Schweitzer did not rape or murder Ireland.

"From the beginning, the DNA in this case provided powerful evidence that these three men are innocent," said attorney Susan Friedman, referring also to Schweitzer's brother Shawn and Frank Pauline Jr., who died in prison in 2015.

"Yet, the state built its case on false informant testimony and misapplied forensic evidence. We are grateful to the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney for their collaboration during this re-investigation. The new scientific evidence is clear — Mr. Schweitzer did not commit this crime," she said.

On Thursday, Hawaii News Now reported that following Schweitzer's verdict, the focus shifted to the other two defendants in the case.

Shawn Schweitzer was imprisoned for nearly two years before taking a plea agreement. His attorney, Alex Simpson, is working to get his conviction overturned as well.