Stephen Samuel Paradise:

Betrayed by the System:
How a Holiday in California Became a Year-Long Legal Ordeal

April 2024: A Trip Meant for Rest and Recovery

In April 2024, I travelled to California with one goal: to relax. No legal battles awaited me, no pending conflicts—just a much-needed break to step away from the pressures of life and recharge. What I never could have imagined was that a simple holiday would spiral into a nightmare—one that would leave me stripped of my rights, unlawfully detained, and trapped in a system that refused to acknowledge the truth.

Stephen: A Career Built on Expertise and Innovation

For most of my life, I have dedicated myself to the built environment—designing, managing, and innovating in an industry that shapes how people live and work. Unlike many who follow traditional career paths, I pushed myself to master multiple disciplines within construction, architecture, and urban planning.

Few people in the world hold the qualifications I do:

• RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) – A globally recognized standard of excellence in architecture.

• RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) – A mark of expertise in surveying, property, and construction.

• ARB (Architects Registration Board) – The statutory body regulating architects in the UK.

• CABE C Build E (Chartered Association of Building Engineers) – Recognizing deep technical expertise in building engineering.

• MCIOB (Member of the Chartered Institute of Building) – A globally recognized accreditation in construction and project management.

  With these credentials, I’ve worked at the highest levels of the industry, blending technical precision with visionary thinking to make habitation more sustainable, accessible, and efficient.

I have spent years pushing for innovation in urban planning and construction, challenging outdated systems, and ensuring high-quality, ethical, and sustainable development. I was at the peak of my career—working at the intersection of architecture, engineering, and construction— when I decided to take a short break and visit the United States.

I had no idea that one routine holiday would turn into a nightmare.

April 2024: A Trip Meant for Rest Turns into a Legal Horror Story

In April 2024, I travelled to California for a much-needed break. The plan was simple: relax, recharge, and return home.

But instead of rest, I was met with a catastrophic failure of the American legal system—one that left me stripped of my rights, unlawfully detained, and subjected to extreme mistreatment.

A Call for Help – Answered with a SWAT Team

At some point during my trip, I found myself in a moment of distress. Like any reasonable person in an emergency, I called 911 seeking help—expecting medical assistance or psychological support.

Instead, I was met with a SWAT team.

Rather than being treated as a human being in need of care, I was treated as a criminal—for no reason other than making a call. What followed was beyond anything I could have imagined.

Unlawful Detention, Isolation, and Violations of Human Rights

After being taken into custody without cause, I was subjected to cruel and degrading treatment:

I was placed in a prison cell—completely naked, alone, and without access

I was denied legal representation, medical care, and the ability to contact anyone

I was left in such extreme isolation that I attempted to take my own life—twice.

This was not about protecting the public. This was abuse. Despite clear exculpatory evidence proving I had committed no crime, I remained detained for weeks—not because of justice, but because of a system designed to trap people rather than free them.

A Trusted Lawyer vs. A Corrupt Law Firm

Eventually, I was given a lawyer—Mr. Bagramyan, a man who genuinely worked to help me. But while he was fighting for my release, the law firm he worked for—Sanger Law Firm, run by Bob Sanger—was actively working against me.

Sanger Law Firm’s Malicious Tactics

Instead of submitting the evidence that should have freed me, they forced me into a fraudulent "mental health diversion programme."

This programme was not about rehabilitation—it was about keeping me in the system, prolonging my detainment, and controlling the outcome of my case.

The firm acted in bad faith, ensuring that my legal status remained in limbo despite my eligibility for immediate release.

The Ultimate Betrayal – My Lawyer Was Fired to Keep Me Trapped

After 9 months of complying with the fraudulent diversion programme, I was on the verge of completing it successfully—which meant my suspended criminal case would have to be dismissed. On the day that Mr. Bagramyan was supposed to submit my motion to formally end the programme and clear my case, Sanger Law Firm fired him.

This was no coincidence.

This was a calculated move to keep me trapped.

This was a direct attempt to stop me from regaining my freedom.

By eliminating my legal representation at the most crucial moment, they ensured that my case remained unresolved—deliberately keeping me entangled in the system despite my innocence.

March 2025: The Demand to Return to the State That Betrayed Me

Now, nearly a year later, I have received a formal request to return to California—the same state that:

Unlawfully detained me; naked, alone, no bed and no toilet

Violated my human rights

Allowed a corrupt law firm to manipulate the legal process against me

The same system that forced me into a fraudulent mental health programme—rather than acknowledging exculpatory evidence—is now expecting me to willingly return.

Why This Story Matters:

This is not just about me—it’s about a fundamental failure of the justice system in a Democratic state that claims to uphold human rights, due process, and fairness.

Key Questions That Must Be Answered:

Why was a 911 call for help met with a SWAT response?

How and why did Sanger Law Firm deliberately sabotage my case?

Why was I unlawfully detained despite exculpatory evidence proving innocence?

Who will be held accountable for the violations I endured?

Now, as I stand at a crossroads, facing the impossible choice of complying with a system that abused me or defending myself, the world deserves to know what really happened in California in April 2024.

SIGNED:

Stephen

Stephen Samuel Paradise

Pro Se

Plaintiff, Paradise v. State of California (& Named Individuals & John Does) Defendant, The People v. Paradise
United Kingdom

British Real Estate Executive

Chartered Surveyor | British Architect | Building Engineer | Construction Manager

MRICS | RIBA | ARB | MCABE C Build E | MCIOB |

BA (First Class Hons) Architecture | M.Arch (Commend) | Prof. Practice (Adv. Dip)