The lawyer for Keshia Golden, a Chicago woman charged with first-degree murder in the 2022 stabbing death of her boyfriend, is urging prosecutors to drop the case, claiming self-defense. The incident occurred hours after Golden's baby shower amid an argument over a microwave. Supporters rallied last week demanding her release.
Keshia Golden faces first-degree murder charges in Cook County for fatally stabbing Calvin Sidney, the father of her unborn child, in their Chicago home. According to prosecutors, the couple argued over using a microwave. Golden allegedly knocked a plate of food from Sidney's hands, prompting him to push her onto the counter. She then went to a bedroom with a knife and stabbed him while he lay on the bed, striking his femoral artery, which led to his death from blood loss. Golden's attorney, Julie Koehler, described a different sequence, alleging Sidney first attacked Golden by hitting her, grabbing her hair, and slamming her head on the kitchen counter before the fight moved to another room, where Golden stabbed him in the leg in self-defense to protect herself and her unborn child. She spoke at a public rally last Monday, as reported by local ABC affiliate WLS. Court documents reveal at least five police reports of domestic violence between Golden and Sidney, with four involving physical abuse such as choking, slapping, pushing, and punching. One incident occurred when Golden was 18 weeks pregnant, according to Sierra Bartlett of the Cook County Public Defender's Office. Supporters gathered at the rally with signs reading 'Free Keshia' and 'Survived + Punished: We stand with Keshia Golden.' Prosecutors offered Golden a plea deal to second-degree murder with no additional prison time—essentially two years of probation—but she rejected it. Bartlett noted Golden has complied with pretrial conditions for three years, calling her an upstanding citizen. Dyanna Winchester of the Women's Justice Institute stated, 'Justice is not ignoring a woman's cries for help until it's too late and then condemning her for surviving.' Golden's trial is set to begin over the summer.