Supporters rally for Chicago woman who allegedly killed boyfriend in self-defense

A vigil held Monday in Daley Plaza focused on battered women and included calls to drop murder charges against a Chicago woman accused of killing her boyfriend.

Keshia Golden is charged with first-degree murder for the stabbing death of her boyfriend in October 2022.

Golden’s defense attorney said her boyfriend had a documented history of domestic violence, and she was defending herself and her unborn child when she stabbed him. She was eight months pregnant at the time.

They’re calling on the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to dismiss the case before it goes to trial.

“This is hanging over her head, and it has been three long years,” said Sierra Bartlett with the Cook County Public Defender’s Office. “She’s struggling. Her daughter is going through some health challenges. Also, facing first degree murder charges makes everything just so much more challenging.”

Bartlett said the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has offered Golden a plea deal to a lesser charge of second-degree murder.

“That would be two years probation, but I mean, she checks in every day with pretrial already. She’s been doing that for three years. She’s proved that she is an upstanding citizen, and she doesn’t deserve any of this,” Bartlett said. “I hope that Eileen O’Neill Burke does the right thing, because this is telling the women of Cook County that if you are in a violent relationship and you try to defend yourself, you could be facing first-degree murder charges.”

Court documents show there were five police reports made of domestic violence involving Golden and her boyfriend. Four of those incidents involve allegations of the physical violence, including choking, slapping, pushing and punching.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in a statement, told NBC 5, “The defendant previously rejected the state’s offer to resolve this case, which included a plea to a reduced charge of second-degree murder, with no additional time served. As this case remains pending litigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Golden will be back in court Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.