Content warning: This story references incidents of domestic violence.
Keshia Golden, a Black mother from the West Side of Chicago, turned down a plea deal months ago even though it put her at risk of at least 20 years in prison.
In October 2022, Golden was eight months pregnant and had just celebrated her baby shower. She says her boyfriend, Calvin Sidney, attacked her in the kitchen, slamming her head into the counter — her attorneys say that kind of violence was typical of their relationship, and resulted in dozens of police calls and multiple arrests. One of her public defenders said the fight moved into another room, and that’s when Golden defended herself. “I just wanted him to stop,” Golden told the Chicago Sun-Times, reflecting on the moment when she said she grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed Sidney in the leg. The blade hit his femoral artery, and he died in a hospital. Golden was charged with first-degree murder shortly after…