This study describes women incarcerated at a California prison for the death of their male abusers and compares them with a statewide sample of women inmates. Women convicted for using lethal violence against abusive partners differ from the broader population of California women prisoners on key demographic markers. Furthermore, despite a clear lack of criminal or violent histories, the overwhelming majority of battered women are convicted of first- or second-degree murder and receive long, harsh sentences whether they are represented by private or by public attorneys. This research suggests the possibility of a systematic criminal justice bias against women who kill their male partners.
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