Reviews
Avvo
Charley
15 Feb, 2020
After being falsely arrested a 2nd time for the same incident, a DA was clearly depriving me of my civil rights by charging with a crime that there was no probable cause to believe I committed, they just manufactured the evidence. All I had to do wait months for preliminary and it would be discovered the arrest warrant was obtained by falsehoods and withholding exculpatory evidence. My mom being 75yrs old thought I needed a lawyer and hired Swant paying up front $2500 to cover representation until conclusion of preliminary. I fired him after only 2 weeks for not due diligently looking out for my best interest and lying to me that if I plead no contest that wouldn't bar me from filing a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 civil tort claim for false arrest/imprisonment. In that 2 weeks the only thing he did was get me a bond reduction instead of demanded his client be set free. He either lied to me that he tried to speak with the DA about the evidence withheld or he lied to me that nothing could be done until preliminary. He had the audacity to cuss at me for firing him and would not refund any of the money. Several months later the case was dismissed by my public defender informing a different DA of the information withheld. Later I found out that you can challenge the truthfulness of the information stated in the arrest warrant which is called a Frank's hearing which Swant kept from me. He kept trying to get me to take the 1yr suspended plea deal. Anybody could have beat this case and I think he knew that but kept the entire $2500 only making one court appearance, never filing a motion, research, etc. What was my so called crime? Having a court appearance in family court I went up the escalator while my child's mother was going down. The state claimed I was stalking her showing up at the courthouse whenever she would but withholding from the arrest warrant that family court case. The affidavit states I had no business being there that day. So when public defender presented another DA the court date I was released the very same day.
Read more