Man fails polygraph on guns in killing

Sat., Nov. 11, 2006

Associated Press The Spokesman-Review

SEATTLE – A Bellevue gun collector failed an FBI polygraph test about whether he owned two gun barrels like those used to kill federal prosecutor Thomas Wales, his lawyer says.

Albert K. Kwan has been a person of interest in the 2001 slaying because sales records indicate he purchased the two gun barrels from a Minnesota company back in the mid-1990s. While prosecutors apparently do not believe Kwan shot Wales, they are interested in knowing if he provided a gun barrel to the person who did.

Kwan has only provided one Makarov pistol replacement barrel to investigators, maintaining he doesn’t remember ever purchasing a second one. He agreed to take a polygraph test last month after he was indicted on an unrelated charge of illegal machine gun possession.

After a U.S. District Court hearing Thursday, Kwan’s lawyer, Joseph Conte, told the Seattle Times that according to federal investigators, Kwan failed the polygraph. Conte said he wants an independent polygraph examiner to review the government’s test.

At the hearing, Judge Thomas Zilly said he would release Kwan from custody on the machine gun charge as long as he posts a $250,000 bond, wears a location monitor, does not possess firearms and surrenders his Hong Kong, British and U.S. passports.

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