Swanson seeking leniency

SANDPOINT — A Priest River man sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing his wife and their unborn child is making a post-conviction appeal for leniency, court records show.

Jeremy Keith Swanson is asking a 1st District judge to reconsider his sentence and impose a life term with a chance at parole after serving 20 years.

A hearing on Swanson’s motion is set to be heard on Nov. 12.

Swanson pleaded guilty to first- and second-degree murder for the stabbing death of his wife, Jennifer, and their unborn daughter, who was 15-18 weeks in utero. The killings occurred at the couple’s former Priest River home on Dec. 18, 2012.

Judge Benjamin R. Simpson sentenced Swanson, 27, in September.

At the time, Simpson said there was no question a life sentence would be imposed, leaving only the issue of whether it would be fixed or indeterminate term, which would qualify Swanson for parole at some point.

Simpson opted for a fixed term due to uncertainty regarding Swanson’s capacity to be rehabilitated and a psychological evaluation which placed him at a “high risk” to the general public.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t see anything else to do under these circumstances,” Simpson told Swanson.

In his motion for leniency, Swanson argues that there is no high degree of certainty that he cannot be rehabilitated. Swanson adds that he has no prior criminal history or substance abuse issues, and has been diagnosed with a major depressive disorder with psychotic features — a condition that was untreated at the time of the killings.

“He was disassociated and could not decide right from wrong as he was having severe psychotic depression,” the motion states.

The motion also indicates that Swanson intended to take his own life after the killings, but instead opted to take responsibility for his crimes. He further argues that the high-risk determination was based on his lack of treatment for mental illness.