The assault charges filed against Kristy Swanson stemming from an alleged physical alteraction she had with Marcia O'Brien -- the ex-wife of her Skating with Celebrities professional partner Lloyd Eisler -- have been dropped.
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Domestic Violence Court Crown attorney John Skoropada withdrew O'Brien's assault charge against Swanson on Wednesday morning, Ontario's The Whig Standard reported Thursday. While Skoropada wouldn't give the exact reasoning behind the charges being dropped, he told The Standard there had been "informal resolution discussions" between his office and Swanson's lawyer Connie Baran-Gerez.
"[I was] instructed to withdraw the charge," Skoropada told The Standard.
Assistant Crown attorney Jennifer Ferguson was also involved in the discussions between Skoropada and Baran-Gerez, and she told The Standard the charges being dropped stemmed from a conversation she had with O'Brien two weeks ago.
"With her agreement, [we] negotiated with defense counsel Connie Baran-Gerez and resolved [the case] in an informal manner, which involved withdrawing the charge," Ferguson told The Standard.
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Swanson and Eisler were paired together by Fox for Skating with Celebrities in the summer of 2005. The pre-taped reality competition series premiered in January 2006, and one month later a then-pregnant O'Brien blamed an affair between Eisler and Swanson for breaking up their marriage. Eisler has denied that his relationship with Swanson began before he and O'Brien separated.
Eisler divorced O'Brien in November 2006 and currently lives in Los Angeles with Swanson, who gave birth to Magnus Hart Stewart, the couple's first child together, in mid-February.
However Swanson was arrested in June for allegedly assaulting O'Brien and was released from a Kingston, Ontario jail on $500 bail after being taken to a Canadian police station following a complaint issued by O'Brien. Swanson subsequently filed a counter complaint that claimed O'Brien was the one who attacked her, but the former Skating with Celebrities star remains the only one of the two women who was formally charged.
"This never should have happened and our family can move on," said Swanson in a statement after the charges were dropped, according to The Standard.
Swanson's publicist Michael Sands echoed his client's feelings about being happy that the entire incident is behind them.
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"I know Kristy is totally relieved. Basically, this never should have happened," Sands told The Standard. "I think [Swanson] will not be anywhere near [O'Brien] and there's a lid on everything. They just need to all get along and really enjoy each other."
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio