Defense says the stabbing followed years of abuse reports and should be dismissed as self-defense.
CHICAGO, Ill. — Cook County prosecutors refused Tuesday to drop a first-degree murder case against a Chicago woman accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend after a baby shower in 2022, as her attorneys argued the killing was self-defense during a violent confrontation late in her pregnancy.
The decision leaves Keshia Golden, 36, facing two counts of first-degree murder more than three years after Calvin Sidney died from a knife wound that prosecutors say severed a major artery in his leg. The defense says the case should end now because police and court records show a long, volatile relationship with repeated domestic violence calls and a protection order. Prosecutors, declining to dismiss, offered a plea to second-degree murder that would result in a felony conviction and a two-year probation sentence, according to the defense. The standoff sets up another court hearing next month as the judge manages a case that has drawn attention from survivor advocates and bond fund groups.
Golden’s legal team returned to court Tuesday seeking dismissal, casting the stabbing as the final moment in a relationship marked by escalating fights and prior injuries. The couple had hosted a baby shower on Oct. 22, 2022, and Golden was eight months pregnant, her attorneys said. After the shower, an argument turned physical, and the defense said Sidney dragged Golden by her hair into a bedroom. Prosecutors described a second argument hours later, in the early morning of Oct. 23, when Sidney grabbed Golden and pushed her down onto a counter. Court records described family members intervening to separate them. Prosecutors said Sidney went to the bedroom to lie down, and Golden then took a knife into the bedroom and stabbed him in the leg, striking the femoral artery.
Sidney was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he died, authorities said. Golden’s attorneys say the injury occurred as she tried to protect herself and her unborn child, and they argue the prosecution ignores the context of what they describe as repeated abuse. Their argument leans heavily on records they say show a pattern of emergency calls and police responses at the home. Police logs cited in court filings show more than 50 domestic violence-related calls from the couple’s address over time, including five calls placed between June and September 2022, months before Sidney was killed. In four of those calls, Golden reported that Sidney choked, punched, slapped or pushed her, according to accounts discussed in court.
The case record also includes competing accusations, reflecting the messy reality of some domestic violence investigations. Prosecutors cited an incident in which Sidney claimed Golden stabbed him in the neck, an allegation that resulted in his hospitalization but did not lead to charges, according to the account presented around the case. Defense attorneys say the overall record shows Golden repeatedly sought help and protection. They cited court records showing Golden obtained an order of protection against Sidney in July 2022 after an incident in which he allegedly punched her in the face. They also said Golden previously miscarried after an alleged assault by Sidney, a claim the defense used to explain why she viewed the late-pregnancy confrontation as a threat to her life and her baby’s life.
Golden’s custody status has been shaped by the fact that she was pregnant at the time of her arrest. She was initially held on a $2 million bond, but a judge later reduced it to $50,000, saying the reduction was in the best interest of her unborn child. The court required Golden to post $5,000. Bond assistance groups helped raise that amount, and Golden was released in early November 2022. Later that month, a grand jury returned an indictment charging her with two counts of first-degree murder, locking the case into the felony trial track and raising the stakes for any future plea negotiations.
At the courthouse Tuesday, Golden’s supporters framed the prosecution as part of a broader problem in which survivors are punished even after seeking help. A group stood with her wearing purple, a color associated with domestic violence awareness, as advocates spoke to reporters about safety and accountability. Holly Krig of Moms United Against Violence and Incarceration argued that the justice system often treats women differently when they claim self-defense in a relationship. She cited broader homicide and justification disparities to argue that Golden’s case should be dismissed. The advocates said they will continue to attend hearings and press prosecutors to reconsider their approach.
Golden’s attorneys said the plea offer on the table would have ended the case without prison time but would still brand her a felon. They said the offer called for a second-degree murder conviction, 24 months of probation and a felony record. Defense attorney Julie Koehler said outside court that the team was disappointed prosecutors did not agree to dismissal. Koehler described Golden as someone who has complied with strict pretrial conditions for years, including counseling and classes, and daily reporting to pretrial services. The defense says those efforts show she is not a public safety threat and that the court should treat the killing as legally justified rather than negotiated down to a lesser homicide count.
Prosecutors did not discuss evidence in open court on Tuesday and offered only a brief statement afterward. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said the case remains pending and will continue through the judicial process, adding that it could not comment further. The lack of public detail leaves key questions unanswered, including how prosecutors plan to present the case to a jury and what, if any, additional witnesses or forensic evidence will be emphasized beyond the basic account of a stabbing that hit a major blood vessel. It also leaves uncertainty about whether future negotiations could produce a different deal or whether the case is headed toward a trial.
A status hearing is scheduled for April 7 at 9 a.m., when the judge is expected to review next steps and address any pending motions. Golden remains free on bond, and her legal team says it will continue to argue self-defense and seek dismissal. The case, built around a single fatal wound but surrounded by years of police calls and court filings, now turns toward its next milestone in a courtroom where both sides are signaling they are not ready to yield.
Author note: Last updated March 4, 2026.