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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The attorney for a city man charged with stabbing a local homeless man to death is seeking to suppress the alleged killer&#8217;s confession.</p><p>Defense attorney John Pike Tuesday filed several pretrial motions ahead of Daniel Elias Holtslander&#8217;s March 29 trial date, many seeking to quash potential evidence in the fatal stabbing of 49-year-old Kurt Swan. Swan&#8217;s <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/558971/body-found-near-k-mart-shopping-plaza-in-edwardsville" target="_blank">body was found June 25</a> in a wooded area behind the Kmart store at Mark Plaza in Edwardsville.</p><p>Holtslander, 38, of Wilkes-Barre, was <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/local/563186/wilkes-barre-man-charged-in-stabbing-death-of-kurt-swan" target="_blank">charged with Swan&#8217;s death July 7</a>. That day, Holtslander told investigators he was sleeping in his truck when Swan climbed inside and approached him. He told police he &#8220;lashed out&#8221; and stabbed Swan with a pair of knives, not knowing it was him, according to the affidavit.</p><p>Holtslander&#8217;s alleged admissions &#8220;were not voluntary, nor were they the product of his rational intellect or free will,&#8221; Pike wrote, adding Holtslander&#8217;s rights were violated when the statements were obtained without first reading him his right to counsel and against self-incrimination.</p><p>Holtslander, Pike claims, continued to be questioned even after requesting an attorney.</p><p>Several other motions are laid out in the filing, including a request to suppress physical evidence, prohibit the use of videos and photographs of the crime scene and victim, preclude evidence of Holtslander&#8217;s prior criminal record.</p><p>Pike also seeks disclosure of a confidential informant&#8217;s identity and to suppress evidence obtained from a wiretap.</p><p>Pike had <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/news/597053/suspect-in-homeless-mans-fatal-stabbing-gets-funding-for-mental-health-expert" target="_blank">previously indicated Holtslander&#8217;s psychological history</a> &#8220;may give rise to an inability to perceive events and/or enhance his need for safety and preservation thereby giving rise to a theory of self-defense.&#8221;</p><p>Holtslander remains jailed without bail.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Daniel Elias Holtslander, of Wilkes-Barre, is taken into custody on charges he fatally stabbed local homeless man Kurt Swan. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_web1_image201678238136-1-2.jpeg</photo0><caption0>Daniel Elias Holtslander, of Wilkes-Barre, is taken into custody on charges he fatally stabbed local homeless man Kurt Swan. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Motions seek to suppress alleged killer&#8217;s statements</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Attorney: Alleged confession in homeless man’s stabbing not ‘product of his rational intellect’