TULSA, Okla. — A woman serving a life sentence for killing her abusive ex-boyfriend will remain behind bars. The case will be heard under the Oklahoma Survivor's Act in September.
It's been nearly 26 years since April Wilkens has walked as a free woman, and her team of attorneys told local media they're committed to fighting as long as it takes to get her out.
"While we are disappointed that Ms. Wilkens will stay in custody presently, we are enthused that the court has set a firm re-sentencing date," said Colleen McCarty, one of Wilkens' attorneys. "We remain steadfast. We remain fighting for her case. We remain fighting for her freedom and we believe when we put our case on, the evidence will speak for itself."
Wilkens shot and killed her ex-boyfriend Terry Carlton in 1998, after she said she endured about two years of physical and sexual abuse.
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With the Survivor's Act having passed last August, her family, friends and allies were hopeful this hearing would go the other way. The decision to keep Wilkens in custody was a devastating blow to her sister, Mary Ross.
“I hope they would consider what she’s done while she’s been in prison," said Ross. "She’s started programs for them. She could be a useful person in society again. She’s served her time… I just hope they’ll let her out.”
The judge ruled to keep Wilkens in state custody until her team is able to present more evidence. That's an issue Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said has been one of the biggest hold-ups in her case.
"“At the end of the day, our goal, as I would imagine Ms. Wilkens’ goal is for the judge to have all of the information available to him to make an appropriate decision on the case," said Kunzweiler. "At the beginning, they were representing that they had everything. We did our due diligence to find they didn’t have hardly anything from the original murder file.”
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McCarty refused to comment on that claim.
Some in the courtroom said it felt more like arguing over the process versus going over the facts of the case.
2 News asked Ross if she thought her sister has served enough time.
“I do," she said. "And she’s served exemplary, so this has been really difficult."
A re-sentencing date for Wilkens is set for Sept. 3.
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