In a great battle, you never forget the names of the fallen.
It goes without saying that 2020 has been one of the more interesting years in the history of the planet. However, one thing that has not changed, is the continued fight for equality and civility for all races. Especially those within the black community. And there have been a fair share of those who have fallen along the way in the battle. Or even those who were done wrongfully.
When we think of Kenosha, Wisconsin in the year 2020. We’re reminded of the unrest immersed across the city over the shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, who finds himself paralyzed from his injuries after a exchange with police officers on August 23. However, we can never forget a shooting of a young black woman who felt she was in the fight of her life.
In 2018, Chrystul Kizer had served nearly two years in a Wisconsin prison on the charge of first-degree intentional homicide. Taking the life of Randall Volar III, who was an alleged sex trafficker of not only her but according to reports, many other underaged black girls as young as 12. Kizer told reporters that she killed the 34-year-old Volar and set his house ablaze in self-defense. After he had drugged her and also tried to rape her.
Volar, had a track record that was not new to police in Kenosha. In addition, was being investigated for trafficking. Once police found evidence of him abusing young women, he was ultimately charged and sent to prison in February of 2018.
Kizer, now 20, has been released from jail after making $400,000 bail that was raised by a number of advocate groups. Yet, she is far from out of the woods. Kizer is facing charges of arson and premeditated homicide still. As the Wisconsin Department of Justice stated in a brief, disagrees that she killed Volar as a result of being trafficked. Instead, it was because she wanted to steal his vehicle.
The defense attorneys of Kizer are hoping to use a provision in-state law allowing an affirmative defense for trafficking victims, which has never been used in terms of a homicide case according to reports. Kizer’s defense team is trying to make the point that the 20-year-old cannot be convicted of homicide on the fact of that she had slain a man as a result of her being trafficked. However, per reports, as far as the circuit court level is concerned, Judge David Wilk rules that Kizer can’t use the affirmative defense for the homicide charge.
Until the Appellate Court makes a statement on whether or not the defense can use the aforementioned reasoning, the prosecution will be on hold till further instructions.
According to Kenosha News, The Wisconsin Department of Justice filed its response to the defense argument on Sept. 4. In addition, the defense will have an opportunity to respond by Sept. 21. Once the court of appeals makes a decision on the issue it will return to circuit court for prosecution.
Per reports, as Kizer awaits on the pending prosecution, she had wrote Wilk stating that she hoped to take a plea. If taken, her first-degree intentional homicide case would be lowed to a felony murder. Which would result in a sentence that could have her behind bars for over a decade.
