Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women

Thursday, February 26, 2009

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/02/26/state/n19322...
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_11795688

A woman who sat in a car while her husband robbed and killed a shop owner in 1980 asked Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for parole Thursday.
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Connie Keel was convicted of first-degree murder when she was 21 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. After 29 years in prison, she is trying to win release with the help of a University of Southern California law student.

Second-year law student Adam Reich took up her case and represented her at her sixth hearing before the California Board of Parole in October. The board recommended that Keel be released and now her fate is in the hands of the governor.

Reich submitted a written request for her parole to Schwarzenegger, who has 30 days to decide whether to uphold or deny her release from prison.

"This woman served 29 years in prison for sitting in a car," Reich told The Associated Press. "She's lost three decades of her life. To be able to survive as long as she has with such optimism and resilience ? I think that's a testament to her moral character and strength."

Reich said Keel had been raped, beaten and threatened by her husband, Ricky Keel, and ordered to stay in the car in the parking lot while he and his cousin robbed a liquor store and killed the owner.

Reich said Keel suffered from battered women's syndrome and could not resist. She took responsibility for her small role and is remorseful about the crime, he said.

Keel has participated in dozens of self-help programs in prison.

Reich created a Web site to publicize Keel's case and is distributing "Free Connie" T-shirts featuring her photo and the Web address.

On the Net:
www.freeconnie.com

Fax a letter of support for Connie Keel at: http://www.freebatteredwomen.org/Alert_Connie.html