California Violent Crimes Attorney, David E. Swanson

Law Offices of David E. Swanson Case Examples

Violent Crimes

PEOPLE V. PARADA

The defendant was charged with felony murder and driving a stolen car.  The defendant was driving a stolen van and lead police on a high-speed chase.  The defendant ran numerous red lights and narrowly missed a number of other vehicles during the chase through Anaheim, which was recorded on video in the police car.  The defendant lost control of the van and crashed into a pole and a cement block wall.  The van rolled and the roof caved in, crushing the skull of a passenger and causing his death.  After trial, the jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY OF MURDER

PEOPLE V. MAAE

The defendant was charged with Felon in possession of a gun.  The defendant was stopped by police at the location of a disturbance.  The defendant’s vehicle was searched and a gun was found under the seat.  The defendant was previously convicted of a felony, but said that it was not his gun, but rather it was left there by someone else.  After trial, the jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY OF FELON IN POSSESSION OF A GUN.

PEOPLE V. RICHARDSON

The defendant was charged with Possession of a weapon in a jail or prison.  The defendant was a former professional football player who started on a Super Bowl-winning team who was in custody in Orange County Jail.  While he was being moved within the jail, a sack carrying his belongings was searched.  The search produced a home-made weapon.  The defendant said that he was unaware of the weapon that was found in his sack, and that someone else must have put it there.  The jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY OF POSSESSION OF A WEAPON IN A JAIL OR PRISON.

PEOPLE V. BROWN

The defendant was charged with assault with a deadly weapon.  The defendant was in a bar in Newport Beach waiting to play pool.  A dispute arose over who was going to play the next game.  The defendant stabbed the alleged victim in the neck with a broken beer glass causing a 5 inch cut on his neck. The victim required a hospital visit for stitches, and the wound left a scar on his neck.  The defendant said that he feared the victim was going to attack him so he used the beer glass in self-defense.  The jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY OF ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.

PEOPLE V. CANALES

The defendant was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with four prior strike convictions and three serious felonies within the previous five years.

The defendant was charged with assaulting the alleged victim by kicking him in the head, which resulted in the victim receiving a concussion.  The victim also filed a civil case which resulted in a settlement of $140,000.  The defendant said that the victim was getting ready to attack a third party.  The defendant struck the victim in order to defend the third party even though the victim never actually struck the third party.  The defendant was facing a minimum of 40 years to life in prison.  The jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY OF ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON.

PEOPLE V. RODRIGUEZ

The defendant was charged with attempted first degree murder.  The defendant was accused of shooting at a gang member, with premeditation and deliberation, a charge REQUIRING A LIFE SENTENCE.  An eye-witness identified the defendant as the shooter of the gun.  David E. Swanson presented alibi-witnesses to the District Attorney proving the defendant was at Knott’s Berry Farm at the time of the shooting. Subsequent to this presentment, the CHARGES WERE DISMISSSED.