Eyewitness News invetigates a new twist in that multi-million dollar, statewide housing scam. Six people charged, including
two lawyers. Together, they face 288 felony charges. Now, one of the defendants, Sheldon Feigel, is suing the state for $1 million.
Feigel says that his rights were violated by the state when officers served a search warrant at his home last week. His attorney, Mark Coleman, is calling the state's actions unreasonable and unconstitutional. Mark Colmen is represetning Feigel and says that the
says the Sanger man has no criminal history and there was no reason for officers to raid his home early in the morning with his kids asleep inside.
Coleman also claims Feigel was denied his right to an attorney the day he was arrested.
The State Attorney General says Feigel lied to judges when he filed "adverse possession" paperwork for his clients, Sandra and Cambria Barton,
who effectively claimed several homes as their own. Coleman says that Feigel trusted them and didn't know they could have been lying to him.
"I can't think of any reason, that any law enforcement in a civilized society would go into a family's home in a case like this,
even assuming the allegations are true, with loaded weapons, with flack vests, commando style gear," said Coleman.
All six defendants are scheduled to be in court Thursday for a pre-prelim. Feigel and three other suspects are out of custody. Sandra Barton and Craig Mortensen are still behind bars.