Defense Keys On 'Coercive Tactics'

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI The Tampa Tribune

Published: Jan 3, 2007

TAMPA - Scott Schweickert's defense is asking a judge to block the prosecution from introducing at trial Schweickert's statements about how he helped Steven Lorenzo drug, sexually torture and kill two men.

Defense attorney Pedro Amador argues in court papers that Schweickert's statements "were made as a result of coercive tactics employed by government agents."

Schweickert was not given a lawyer during several interviews, even though he "requested a lawyer from his first contact with law enforcement," Amador wrote.

Schweickert faces a federal trial next week on charges of conspiracy and drug facilitated crimes of violence. Lorenzo is serving 200 years in federal prison on charges he drugged and sexually tortured nine men, including the two victims authorities say Lorenzo and Schweickert killed: Jason Galehouse and Michael Wachholtz.

According to an arrest affidavit filed at the time of Schweickert's arrest in May 2005, Schweickert was interviewed by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Scott A. Albrecht and other detectives on May 10 and 19 in 2005, after being advised of his Miranda rights.

According to the affidavit, Schweickert told investigators that he and Lorenzo met online and struck up a conversation about their mutual interest in dominant sexual activities. Although Schweickert said that a majority of the chats about violence, abduction and drug use were pure fantasy, he said some of the fantasies became reality in 2003.

That Dec. 19, Schweickert told detectives, he and Lorenzo met Galehouse at the nightclub 2606. Galehouse accompanied the two to Lorenzo's house. Later, Schweickert told detectives, he helped subdue a struggling Galehouse, who went limp and died. Schweickert told investigators he helped Lorenzo dismember and dispose of Galehouse's body.

The next night, Schweickert told detectives, he and Lorenzo returned to 2606, where they met Wachholtz, who also went with them to Lorenzo's house. Schweickert said he helped subdue Wachholtz while Lorenzo administered ether. During a struggle, Wachholtz died, and Schweickert helped dispose of the body, he said.

Amador wrote in his motion that Schweickert also was interrogated on Nov. 2, 2004, during a search of his Peru, Ill., home. According to the motion, Schweickert was handcuffed and questioned without his rights being read to him. During the interrogation, he was read his rights and then requested a lawyer.

The interrogation was stopped, and Schweickert was never provided a lawyer, Amador wrote.

Schweickert was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury in Tampa on May 10, 2005, Amador wrote. Upon arriving in Tampa, Schweickert requested a lawyer, Amador wrote, but was told he was not entitled to one. Before testifying, he was interrogated for several hours, Amador wrote.

After testifying, Schweickert was read his Miranda rights and did not request a lawyer "but had already been told he would not get one," according to the motion.

Schweickert did not request a lawyer when he was interrogated again on May 19, 2005, Amador wrote, even though he was read his Miranda warnings "because he was previously told by law enforcement that he was not entitled to a lawyer. He continued participating in the interrogation because of promises by law enforcement that he believed amounted to immunity."

Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837 or esilvestrini@tampatrib.com.