fromABA Journal
3 days agoDomestic abuse survivor who was inspiration for new reduced-sentencing law loses bid for release
The law requires survivors such as Wilkens to prove by clear and convincing evidence that their abuse was related to their offense and a substantial contributing factor to the crime. She said she killed her former fiance, Terry Carlton, after being handcuffed and sexually assaulted, KOCO previously reported. Wilkens' attorney Colleen McCarty introduced evidence that her client killed Carlton because of a pattern of abuse that included beatings, rapes, financial extortion, psychological abuse and forced drug use. McCarty is the executive director of the Oklahoma Appleseed Center for Law & Justice.
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