Kenosha, WI — Chrystul Kizer, a young African American woman from Wisconsin, was only 17-years old when she shot and killed Randall Volar in self-defense. She says he was abusing her. But now she is 19-years old and facing life in prison if convicted.
Kizer has been charged with shooting Volar, who is white, and setting his house on fire back in June 2018. She said she did it because he abused her and sold her to other men for sex.
“She had been trying to get out of whatever arrangement that they had, and he was threatening to kill her,” said Ben Turk, who supports Kizer.
Her appointed attorney, who is a public defender, claims that she should be acquitted under the “affirmative defense” state law as she was a victim of sex trafficking. The judge, however, disagreed and said it only applies to prostitution or child trafficking cases.
Kenosha County District Attorney Mike Gravely thought of dropping the charges but he said he found the murder was premeditated and that Kizer even proudly posted about doing it on social media.
Before Volar died, he was being investigated on child sex trafficking, wherein Kizer was apparently one of the victims. However, he was killed and his body was found in his burnt house on the day he was about to be charged with child sex crimes.
Kizer is set to undergo trial next year. She could face life in prison but is trying to appeal the latest ruling.