Shawanda Swain / Photo from Chicago Police
BY TINA SFONDELES
Chicago Sun-Times
A Hyde Park woman was ordered held on $500,000 bond Saturday after prosecutors said she fatally stabbed her boyfriend during an early Thursday argument.
Prosecutors said Shawanda Swain, 21, was arguing with Damani Chenier inside Swain’s apartment in the 5100 block of South Hyde Park Boulevard.
During the argument, Swain grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Chenier once about 3:10 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.
Prosecutors said a neighbor called 911. Chenier, 23, of the 10000 block of South Vernon Avenue, died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital about an hour later, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
Swain was taken into custody after the attack and was charged Friday with first-degree murder, police said
Swain’s attorney argued she was being physically and verbally abused by her boyfriend and acted in self-defense.
Swain, who is a home health care worker, has no criminal background.
On Saturday, Judge Donald Panarese Jr. ordered Swain held on $500,000 bond. She will be back in court Oct. 14.