Statements To Police Will Be Allowed In Prairie Grove Murder Case

FILE PHOTO JASON IVESTER 
Heather Swain is led into the courtroom Jan. 30 at the Washington County jail in Fayetteville for arraignment. Swain’s capital murder trial is scheduled to begin this morning.
FILE PHOTO JASON IVESTER Heather Swain is led into the courtroom Jan. 30 at the Washington County jail in Fayetteville for arraignment. Swain’s capital murder trial is scheduled to begin this morning.

— A judge has ruled statements made to police can be used at the trial of a woman charged with being an accomplice to capital murder and kidnapping in the December 2012 death of Ronnie Lee Bradley outside Prairie Grove.

Heather Carlene Swain, 36, faces life in prison if convicted on the murder charge and 10 to 40 years or life on the kidnapping charge. Swain faces an additional charge of tampering with evidence and, if convicted, faces up to six years and a fine of up to $10,000.

Prosecutors recently took the death penalty off the table in Swain’s case, making moot most of the 40 pretrial motions filed on Swain’s behalf because they were challenging the state’s death penalty statutes.

Swain’s trial is scheduled to begin this morning in Washington County Circuit Court.

Bill James, Swain’s defense attorney, filed motions to suppress a statement Swain made to police, arguing it was illegally obtained because she wasn’t properly advised of her rights.

“I have concluded the defendant made a knowing and intelligent waiver of her rights including her right to counsel and right against self-incrimination prior to her interview conducted on Dec. 27 and into the early morning hours of Dec. 28, 2012,” Judge William Storey wrote in an opinion to attorneys Friday. “In addition, the statement was freely and voluntarily given and not the product of threats, intimidation, promises or coercion.”

Bradley, 48, was severely beaten. His body was found the morning of Dec. 27, 2012, in the driveway of 17409 Four Corners Road, near the intersection of Greasy Valley Road in rural southwest Washington County.

Two co-conspirators avoided the death penalty by pleading guilty in the case.

Timothy William Swinford, 37, pleaded guilty last month to accomplice to first-degree murder and kidnapping. Storey sentenced Swinford to 80 years at the Arkansas Department of Correction with 30 years suspended. He will have to serve 35 years before becoming eligible for parole. He was given credit for 360 days jail time served.

Anthony Swinford, 35, pleaded guilty in November to his role in Bradley’s killing and was sentenced to two consecutive 40-year terms at the Arkansas Department of Correction.

James Patton, 35, is also charged with accomplice to capital murder and kidnapping. Prosecutors have waived the death penalty in Patton’s case.

Anthony Swinford identified Swain, Patton and Timothy Swinford as accomplices.

Anthony Swinford said the four beat Bradley repeatedly at different places across southwest Washington County and he left the body in the driveway.

Patton’s trial was set for today. Storey ordered Swain and Patton’s cases severed. Patton’s trial has not yet been reset.

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