Chelan County officials respond to Swaim allegations

Due to a mistake in last week’s article regarding Bernard Swaim, the CVR was contacted by Bernard Swaim himself, Swaim’s former attorney Nick Yedinak as well as Chelan County Sheriff Brian Burnett who also spoke on behalf of Chelan County Jail Director Curt Lutz.
The mistake was that Sheriff Burnett was not the “sheriff went to Alaska” sheriff when attempted contact was made by Yedinak, but a previous Chelan County sheriff. Burnett said he received phone calls about his trip to Alaska that never happened - our apologies for the bother.
As a result of that error by this reporter, allegations made by Swaim as to not receiving medical attention for broken toes was rebuffed as well as guards ignoring drug use when marijuana smoke was blown into the face of one of them.
Swaim also clarified what he meant regarding being stuck in a cell for 32 hours at a time by stating it wasn’t just him, but all the inmates that were affected by shift changes.
Burnett said he works closely with Lutz and can state that “sure there may be drugs in the jail, but we go through there with drug dogs on a regular basis.”
He also expressed grave doubts that any medical problems exhibited by any inmates go without proper attention. “Curt wouldn’t allow that to happen.”
In response to the rapid feedback by four different persons who are all intimately involved in the case and incarceration of Swaim and the trial, including Swaim himself, it has been agreed upon by Swaim that any future articles be extrapolated directly from email sent by him so as to avoid misinterpretation of what was said during phone interviews.
It is not certain that further communications will be received via this method, but if so, be sure to read about it in the Cashmere Valley Record and the Leavenworth Echo.