Swearingen v. Conte

The defendant, John LeConte, owned certain real estate in East Peoria, Illinois, which was improved with an apartment building. This building had been constructed in either the year 1931 or 1932 and for approximately 20 years Hubert Sonny Blanche had leased from the defendant a second story two-room apartment in the premises. The plaintiff, Florine Swearingen, had lived with the tenant Blanche from time to time throughout this 20 year period.

On May 10, 1966, the plaintiff was either sitting or lying on the bed in Blanche’s apartment watching television while Blanche was asleep on the couch.…