A Chicago woman accused of killing her boyfriend, while she was eight months pregnant, has accepted a plea deal that allows her to avoid prison and return home to her young daughter but leaves her with a felony conviction.
Keshia Golden pleaded guilty Monday to involuntary manslaughter in the 2022 death of her partner, Calvin Sidney, according to WLS.
Golden was sentenced to 24 months of probation. As part of the agreement, she must also complete 30 hours of community service and undergo regular drug testing. She will not have to register as a violent offender.
Golden said she accepted the deal because she did not want her daughter to have to endure a trial.
“I feel like I did the right thing for my child instead of putting this all on the trial and putting it all on social media, and I do not want to hurt my child no more than what she already hurt. All she have is me,” Golden told WLS.
Golden was initially charged with first-degree murder in Sidney’s death.
A Deadly Encounter
According to Golden’s attorneys, the couple began arguing after their baby shower on Oct. 23, 2022, over who would use a microwave. They say Golden knocked a plate of food out of Sidney’s hands before he repeatedly slammed her head against the counter and refrigerator and continued attacking her.
The defense said Sidney’s response prompted Golden to grab a knife and stab him in the leg. The knife pierced his femoral artery, and Sidney later died at a hospital.
Golden’s attorneys have maintained that she acted in self-defense. They pointed to what they describe as a documented history of domestic violence in the relationship. They said Golden called 911 more than 50 times after incidents involving Sidney and had obtained an order of protection in 2020.
“We stand with her because she has never been able to rely on the justice system. She’s scared. When has the justice system ever supported Keshia?” assistant public defender Julie Koehler told WIS.
Prosecutors have disputed Golden’s claim of self-defense. They said Sidney went into a bedroom to lie down, and Golden followed him with a knife and stabbed him in the leg while he was lying in bed and unarmed.
The Deal She Turned Down
Symmieona Goss, who told WLS that she has children with Sidney, disputed Golden’s allegations of domestic violence.
“They just let a murderer get away scot-free basically: 24 months’ probation and community service for murder,” Goss said.
The plea deal Golden accepted Monday was not the first agreement offered by prosecutors.
The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office previously offered Golden a deal that would have required her to plead guilty to second-degree murder. In exchange, she would not have received additional jail time and would have received two years of probation, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Golden’s attorneys rejected that agreement, arguing that the consequences of a second-degree murder conviction would negatively affect her quality of life.
Moving Forward
During Monday’s hearing, Golden apologized to Sidney’s family.
“Yes, I apologize, but I know that apology is not going to bring him back,” she said. “But I have to wake up every morning and look at my daughter, and I see Calvin in her. So I do apologize sincerely.”
Golden’s mother, Tarsha Ellis, told WLS she was grateful her daughter would be able to remain with her family and raise her daughter.
“It’s a blessing to have my daughter here to raise her daughter. You know, and I’m grateful for that. So, she took the plea. She’s not guilty, but she took it to stay home with her daughter, and she got to take care of me,” Ellis said.
Golden’s felony conviction could still have significant consequences. The mother said it could prevent her from working as a nursing assistant, a job for which she was trained. It could also create challenges when she seeks housing.
Her attorneys told WLS they plan to ask Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker for a pardon.
