Accessing a static XML variable from within a switch statement

[justkevin]

In the following class

package
{
	public class Factory
	{
		public static var myXML:XML;
		
		public function Factory()
		{
		}
		
		public static function staticTest(varName:String)
		{
		switch(varName)
			{
				default:
				Factory.myXML = <entitydefaults>
				<entity id='DRONE' points='100'></entity>
				<entity id='BOMBER' points='1000'>
				</entity>
				</entitydefaults>
				var x1 = Factory.myXML.entity.(@id == 'DRONE');
				var x2 = Factory.myXML.entity.(@id == 'DRONE');
				trace('okay');
			}
		}

	}
}

A break point on the "Okay" line shows that x1 is null but x2 is equal to "<entity id="DRONE" points="100"/>".

If I take the whole block out of the switch statement, both x1 and x2 are equal to the expected xml.

Why?