Opinion ID: 2323099
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Charles E. Griffin, Jr.

Text: Griffin is Swan's maternal half brother; that is, Patricia Swan was both Swan's and Griffin's mother. Griffin, who is six years younger than Swan and had not seen Swan in approximately twenty years, testified that defense counsel did not contact him at the time of Swan's trial. Griffin testified about the conditions under which he and Swan grew up. Specifically, Griffin and Swan were subjected to relentless mental, verbal, and physical abuse, they were locked up in rooms ... like caged animals, and the only consistent part of their lives was merciless beatings. Griffin also testified that Swan, as Griffin's older brother, tried to protect Griffin from the beatings. Griffin recalled that Swan was once punished for that effort by being hit in the head with a cast iron skillet. Griffin recalled that Swan was asleep for a long time after that blow to the head. Griffin and Swan were subjected to sexual abuse as well, and Griffin's mother and her friends often abused drugs and alcohol in front of Griffin and Swan.