On Monday John Kasich, the outgoing governor of Ohio, commuted the prison sentence of Thomia Hunter a woman who killed her abusive ex-boyfriend in an act of self-defense, according to Cleveland.com.
In 2005, Hunter was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her ex-boyfriend, who she says abused her for years, per Cleveland.com.
During her trial, Hunter testified that Harris, her ex-boyfriend, attacked her and accused her of cheating on him, so she acted out of self-defense, per Cleveland.com. Hunter said that Harris attacked her first, beating her, choking her, pouring hot sauce in her eyes, and cutting her with a knife, Cleveland.com reports.
She stabbed Harris 22 times, severing his femoral artery, according to the outlet.
Hunter, 41, was scheduled to have her first parole hearing in May, but in June 2018, the Ohio Parole Board found that Hunter showed signs of battered woman’s syndrome that did not present during her trial and recommended that Kasich commute her sentence, Cleveland.com reports.
The Ohio Parole Board said that Harris' wounds were "minimal" and that Hunter acted out of genuine concern for her life.
On Wednesday, Hunter's lawyer Tiffany Smith announced that Kasich had officially commuted her sentence. Hunter's release date is July 15, pending she completes a reintegration program facilitated by the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
"I hope that this case will help people understand that there is more to the story and we need to try to understand it all before passing judgment," Smith, who works with the Ohio Justice and Policy Center, told Cleveland.com.
