Judge Orders Immediate Release of Man Wrongfully Convicted of Murder After 20 Years in Prison

A Hawaii judge has ordered the immediate release of Albert “Ian” Schweitzer, who has spent more than 20 years in prison for the 1991 murder, kidnapping and sexual assault of a woman visiting the state.

Schweitzer was convicted in 2000 and sentenced to 130 years in prison. However, his attorneys presented new evidence to Judge Peter Kubota on Tuesday, arguing that Schweitzer did not commit the crimes he was convicted of. Judge Kubota agreed and ordered Schweitzer released from his shackles immediately.

The new evidence presented by Schweitzer’s attorneys included DNA testing of evidence collected from the crime scene, which showed that Schweitzer was not the perpetrator. The attorneys also presented evidence that the victim had been seen with another man shortly before her death, which they argued was the true perpetrator.

Schweitzer’s attorneys, from the Innocence Project, have been fighting for his release for years. They have argued that Schweitzer was wrongfully convicted based on false testimony and that the prosecution had withheld evidence that could have exonerated him.

Schweitzer was released from prison on Tuesday and was reunited with his family. He has maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration and is now looking forward to starting a new life.