19-year-old Chrystul Kizer has been freed on bail after languishing in prison on murder charges since 2018. She is accused of first-degree murder for allegedly shooting dead 34 year-old Randall P. Volar III who she claims controlled her as a sex trafficker.
If found guilty she could face a mandatory life sentence in prison.
Her release on bail comes after campaigners were able to crowd-fund on her behalf. Four organisations, the Chicago Community Bond Fund, the Chrystul Kizer Defense Committee, Milwaukee Freedom Fund, and Survived & Punished were able to gather $400,000 to get her released after her bail amount was reduced from $1 million.
Today, the #FreeChrystul Defense Cmte, @ChiBondFund, MKE Freedom Fund, & @survivepunish paid Chrystul’s $400,000 bond so she can continue fighting her case from outside of a cage & w/ the support of her community. pic.twitter.com/zsyPHxEpkz
— Milwaukee Black & Pink (@mkeblackandpink) June 22, 2020
They are standing by Kizer as they believe she acted in self-defence as a way to escape her hellish life as a sex trafficking victim. Kizer states that she met Volar when she was just 16 and that he plied her with gifts and money. He then later sold her on to other men through the internet. Volar is alleged to have been abusing and selling on a large number of young girls and campaigners claim there is well documented evidence of this.
At the time of his murder, he was under-investigation for abusing girls that appeared as young as 12. He was though not apprehended during the investigation, allowing him to continue where he left off.
Kizer was released from Kenosha prison in Illinois, where she has been held for well over a year awaiting trial. Defence lawyers are claiming that she acted in self-defence and her actions do not warrant a charge of first-degree murder, while prosecutors in the case, noting she obtained a police scanner prior to the murder, claim the killing was premeditated and that there was no justification for ending Volar’s life.
The prosecution has even apparently offered Kizer a plea deal, which would result in lesser charges but still see her receive a 21-year prison sentence.
The Chicago Community Bond Fund, one of the organisations that raised the bond money, said in a statement:
"Far too often, survivors of violence—especially Black women and girls—are punished for defending themselves … Chrystul’s case highlights the urgent need for the criminal legal system to stop prosecuting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The police and government systems set up to protect Chrystul failed her, instead of being given care and support from the beginning, she has been wrongfully incarcerated for nearly two years now for choosing to survive."
Criminalized trafficking survivor Chrystul Kizer has been incarcerated in the Kenosha County Jail for the last two years awaiting trial.
— Chicago Community Bond Fund (@ChiBondFund) June 22, 2020
Today, we worked with the @FreeChrystul Defense Committee & the Milwaukee Freedom Fund to pay her $400,000 bond. https://t.co/L4XMROx2by
Chrystul Kizer’s Defense Committee, who is organising the woman’s legal defence added:
"This traumatized child, Chrystul Kizer, enticed and abused repeatedly by Randy Volar, will continue to suffer for the rest of her life … While Chrystul will never be able to erase what Mr. Volar did to her, she now has a fighting chance to assist in the preparation of her defense to these very serious charges from outside of a jail cell."
It is believed that money returned from the bail fund will be put towards charities and organisations fighting against sex trafficking and sex slavery. We will keep you updated.
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