NANCY, Ky. – Tamara E. Wilson gave up on the hope that outgoing Gov. Steve Beshear would grant her a pardon, legally releasing her from a 2010 conviction of second-degree manslaughter, before he left office Monday.

But in the final hours of his tenure, Beshear announced that Wilson would receive one of the 201 pardons and six commutations – a substitution of a lesser punishment. And Wilson’s case was one of 10 Beshear chose to highlight because they involved women who had been victims of domestic violence.

Tamara Wilson was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in December 2010 and served 21 months of a 10-year sentence in connection to the August 2008 shooting death of Frankie Wilson, her husband of 30 years.

Some domestic violence victims are in prison for defending themselves against their abuser, and others are in jail because they took part in criminal activity to survive their abuser, according to the Correctional Association. With laws treating survivors of abuse like criminals, campaigns bring awareness to these survivors.

Due to mandatory minimum sentencing laws, judges have minimal power to take the impact of domestic violence into account when deciding the sentencing decision. Because of this, many survivors end up serving long sentences behind bars because they chose to defend themselves. 

While she hasn’t received any official information yet regarding her pardon, Tamara told the Commonwealth Journal that she looks forward to being able to vote again and not having to watch so closely the conditions of her probation — explaining that she can’t sit at a table in a restaurant that has an open alcoholic container on it.

“I don’t even drink,” Tamara said, but “it’s nice to not have to worry.”

Tamara had been charged and tried for murder, with prosecutors arguing she had shot her husband as he sat at the kitchen table of the couple’s home in Nancy, Kentucky, a tiny town in the southern part of the state. She always maintained that Frankie lunged at her with a knife when she fired — turning down a plea deal that would have resulted in no jail time because it would have meant admitting guilt to a crime.

“How many people do you know who would have taken the plea bargain? Everybody,” Garnett, Wilson’s son added. “This was self defense.”

Tamara served most of her time at the Western Kentucky Correctional Complex in Fredonia, where she first learned of the pardon application process through the Kentucky Coalition Against Domestic Violence (KCADV).

“I was part of their Innocence Project,” Tamara said. “They’d come and see us once a month.”

Tamara was released on probation in July 2012, reuniting with her son and daughter Jessica — both of whom never wavered in support for their mother — and trying to move on with her life.

“It’s like you’re on a desert island and you come out and think ‘Oh! I missed all this,’” Tamara said of her release. “If you can [survive prison], you can do about anything … if you want to.”

Though she initially helped Garnett with the 400-acre dairy/beef farm that she herself ran for 30 years, Tamara found there were too many old memories there.

Finding another job proved difficult because of her felony record, so Tamara started her own business as “Miss Handyman” — painting, cleaning, pressure washing, landscaping, etc.

“I’m not bitter,” she said. “I try to be [a good person].”

As Tamara continues with the next chapter in her life, she particularly takes pride in her children. Garnett married in August and continues to run the family dairy. This experience inspired Jessica to study law.

“I never felt as though my mother did anything wrong, and once she was convicted I was disgusted with the judicial system,” Jessica said in a statement. “Throughout the whole process, it seemed as if the odds were against us. I am glad that this long, rocky journey our family has had to endure has come to an end. My mother has finally received the justice that she deserves! I cannot thank Governor Beshear enough for finally making things right!”

Tamara said her first thought upon hearing the news was disbelief. “I guess that’s how a person feels when they win the lottery,” she said. “It just makes me feel clean because now everything is finally over with and maybe everybody, you know, will see that I was really telling the truth.”

In all, Beshear received more than 3,400 requests for pardons during his eight years as governor. 

“I spent many long days weighing the merits and circumstances of individual cases before making my final decisions,” Governor Beshear stated. “The pardon authority afforded me by Section 77 of the Kentucky Constitution isn’t something I take lightly. We are talking about action that impacts the lives of so many individuals.”

Slaven writes for the (Kentucky) Commonwealth Journal.