In a plea for justice, the defense attorney and advocates for a Chicago mother are urging prosecutors to dismiss charges against her. The woman, who was pregnant at the time, fatally stabbed her abusive boyfriend in a desperate act of self-defense following her baby shower, according to her supporters.

At a public demonstration last Monday, Keshia Golden’s lawyer, Julie Koehler, passionately argued that her client acted in self-defense. “She reached for a knife to protect herself from her abuser, who was trying to kill her and her unborn child,” Koehler stated, as reported by local ABC affiliate WLS.

The tragic incident involved Golden’s boyfriend, Calvin Sidney, who was also the father of her unborn child. Koehler alleged that Sidney physically assaulted Golden, grabbing her hair and slamming her head against a kitchen counter before the conflict spilled into another room. In the midst of the altercation, Golden, fearing for her life and her child’s, grabbed a knife and stabbed Sidney in the leg, according to Koehler’s account of the 2022 incident.

Prosecutors, however, present a different narrative, suggesting that the fatal encounter was preceded by an argument over the use of a microwave. They claim that Golden knocked a plate of food from Sidney’s hands, prompting him to push her onto the counter, WLS reported.

The prosecution contends that the altercation escalated when Golden, armed with a knife, retreated to a bedroom. Sidney reportedly followed her there and was subsequently stabbed while lying on a bed. The knife wound hit Sidney’s femoral artery, leading to his death from blood loss, according to the prosecution.

Golden’s supporters rallied last week, brandishing signs with messages like “Free Keshia” and “Survived + Punished: We stand with Keshia Golden,” as she faces a first-degree murder charge in Cook County. The community’s backing highlights the broader issue of defending oneself against domestic violence and the legal challenges that can follow.

Prosecutors say they offered Golden a deal to resolve the case, which included a plea to a reduced charge of second-degree murder with no additional time served. But she reportedly turned it down.

“That would be two years probation, but I mean, she checks in every day with pretrial already,” said Sierra Bartlett, with the Cook County Public Defender’s Office.

“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 told reporters. “I hope that Eileen O’Neill Burke [Cook County state’s attorney] 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 that there were at least five police reports made of domestic violence involving Golden and her boyfriend, according to local NBC affiliate WMAQ. Four of the incidents involved allegations of physical violence, including choking, slapping, pushing and punching, WMAQ reports.

“Justice is not ignoring a woman cries for help until it’s too late and then condemning her for surviving,” said Dyanna Winchester, with the Women’s Justice Institute, at the rally last Monday.

“He choked her while she was 18 weeks pregnant,” Bartlett added. “So there’s lots of documentation, and I wish there had been more intervention at those earlier stages.”

Golden’s trial is expected to start over the summer.