Keshia Golden maintains that she was defending herself from abuse when she accidentally caused the death of her boyfriend, but she had a difficult choice to make.
The 37-year-old mother could continue to fight for exoneration through a trial, or she could accept a plea offer from prosecutors that would allow her to avoid a prison sentence for murder.
In the end, she said, she chose the option that would allow her to pick up her 3-year-old daughter from daycare in the afternoon.
Dabbing her eyes with a tissue, Golden, 37, on Monday pleaded guilty to a felony count of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to two years of probation in a case that drew attention to a catch-22 faced by victims of domestic violence as well as scrutiny to the way Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke handled the prosecution.
“I want to be able to raise my daughter,” Golden said.
The hearing took place before a packed courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court Building, as Golden’s supporters wore purple, a color that symbolizes survivors of domestic violence. Community members and advocacy groups had campaigned for O’Neill Burke to drop the charges, appealing to her in a letter and holding rallies leading up to the court date, which was originally scheduled as a bench trial.
The case marked a tough political test for O’Neill Burke, who has been outspoken about domestic violence as a critical public safety issue. After taking office in 2024, she revamped the office’s special victims unit, calling such killings a “house on fire.”
Golden’s attorneys were sharply critical of O’Neill Burke for making a plea offer that would be difficult to refuse, rather than dropping the charges altogether. They have argued in court filings that Golden was defending herself after she allegedly experienced significant violence at the hands of her boyfriend, Calvin Sidney, who died after she stabbed him in October 2022.
“You bullied an innocent mother into taking a plea deal that will haunt her for the rest of her life,” Julie Koehler, one of Golden’s public defenders, said.
Representatives from O’Neill Burke’s office in a statement said that the case’s resolution “reflects our commitment to making fair evidence-based decisions.”
“The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office recognizes the complexities of domestic violence and the importance of thoughtfully reviewing the full circumstances surrounding each case,” the statement said. “At the same time, the CCSAO is charged with and committed to seeking justice for victims and their families.”
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In the early morning hours of Oct. 23, 2022, Golden and Sidney got into an argument in the kitchen during which Sidney slammed her against a countertop, according to court records. She was eight months’ pregnant with Sidney’s child at the time.
Later, in a bedroom, Golden stabbed Sidney in the thigh, killing him, court records say.
Golden’s attorneys have maintained that she stabbed him in order to get to safety, not meaning to cause a fatal injury. They argued the nature of the stab wound indicates self-defense.
During the hearing, though, prosecutors said Sidney was stabbed while he was unarmed and lying on a bed in separate room while a family member attempted to stop Golden.
In court filings, Golden’s attorneys described multiple previous acts of alleged violence by Sidney. Despite objections from the prosecution, Cook County Judge Steven Watkins ruled that nearly all could be presented if the case went to trial.
During the hearing, Watkins agreed to go along with the plea agreement, noting Golden’s lack of criminal history and her clean record in following her pretrial requirements after she was released on bail.
“I think it’s a fair and just outcome, but there’s no winners here,” Watkins said. “We have a life that’s lost, a child without a father.”
Golden tearfully apologized to Sidney’s family, saying that she knows an apology is “not going to bring Calvin back.”
Even though Golden will avoid a prison sentence, the conviction on her record will still carry lifelong consequences, her attorneys said. She could face difficulty obtaining housing and employment, and consequences for any violations of probation could be steep.
She has also had to give up on her career aspirations of becoming a nurse’s assistant because her conviction is disqualifying for healthcare workers.
“It’s not the outcome we wanted,” Koehler said after the hearing. “When a man beats a woman, especially a pregnant woman, he forfeits his right to life, full stop.”