I made a serious and tragic error in this case.” Judge Norman Lippitt, trial judge.

 

Karen Kantzler grew up in a sexually abusive home where she was molested and assaulted by her father from age 8 or 9 until she was 21. She was also molested by an uncle as a child and raped by a teenager when she was 7. Because of her history of abuse and low self-esteem, Ms. Kantzler was easy prey for an extremely violent man. After their marriage, he beat her constantly and severely, t hrew her against the wall, raped her and tried to drown her. He threatened her with loaded guns. She suffered bruises, broken bones and injuries as a result of his beatings. He threatened to kill her in front of witnesses. One night he threatened her with a gun, they struggled, and he was shot during the struggle. Because her husband was a medical doctor, testimony about his violence towards his wife, his patients and others, was not taken into consideration at trial. Her trial judge has been working for her release since 1993, admitting he made a "serious and tragic error" in her case.

 

Karen Kantzler suffers from blindness in one eye and severe tremors.