Authorities are searching for Crystal Kaiser, a Wisconsin woman out on a nearly half-a-million dollar bond. Accused of bail jumping ahead of her high-profile murder trial, Kaiser’s case has garnered national attention, igniting conversations about the treatment of sexual abuse victims within the justice system.
This case is particularly compelling due to its unprecedented legal questions, especially in Wisconsin. At 17, Kaiser was arrested and charged with the death of 34-year-old Randall Volar III, her alleged abuser whom she claims sex trafficked her. She spent nearly two years incarcerated before activist groups raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for her release.
A key condition of her bond mandated that she not engage in any criminal activity. Now, authorities allege she has violated this condition, prompting a search for her whereabouts.
As Kaiser awaits trial for the 2018 shooting, she faces new accusations of assaulting a man she resided with in early January. While bail jumping is a serious offense, it carries less weight than the murder charge.
Legal analyst Julie Rendelman highlights the significance of bail jumping in the context of Kaiser’s upcoming homicide trial. The central concern is whether she will remain incarcerated throughout the trial. Bail jumping suggests a potential flight risk, raising doubts about her consistent court appearance.
Rendelman further notes the irony of Kaiser’s rearrest. Without diminishing the potential harm she may have inflicted on her alleged victims, the situation reveals a pattern of recurring victimization in Kaiser’s life.
The Backstory: Crystal Kaiser’s Initial Arrest
Wisconsin prosecutors allege that Crystal Kaiser shot and killed Randall Volar III in June 2018. Court documents reveal Kaiser admitted to traveling from Milwaukee to Kenosha via Uber and shooting Volar. She claimed her actions were driven by her exhaustion and distress from enduring his abuse.
Prosecutors acknowledged Volar’s history of preying on Kaiser and other underage girls. He was under investigation for sexual abuse and child pornography production at the time of his death.
After allegedly shooting Volar twice in the head, Kaiser allegedly set his house ablaze and fled in his BMW. The abandoned vehicle was located in Milwaukee. Police used a receipt found inside the car, along with surveillance footage and Facebook activity, to connect the stolen vehicle to Kaiser.
Initially, Kaiser denied any knowledge of Volar or traveling to Kenosha. However, she later confessed to knowing him, stating they had met on Backpage when she was 16 years old. Subsequently, Kaiser was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, theft, and arson.
Examining the Complexities of Sex Trafficking and Legal Defense
The perception and handling of sex trafficking victims vary across states. New York, for instance, has made strides in changing its approach towards victims of prostitution and sex trafficking. Instead of arrest, the focus has shifted towards providing support and helping them exit the exploitative environment. This progressive stance aims to guide them towards a better path.
However, it remains unclear if other states have adopted similar measures.
Kaiser’s case doesn’t present a straightforward self-defense claim. Instead, the defense hinges on the argument that the killing of Volar is inextricably linked to the alleged sex trafficking she endured, making it impossible to separate the two.
This “affirmative defense” differs from a traditional self-defense argument, where an imminent threat necessitates lethal force for protection.
A Closer Look at Crystal Kaiser’s Bail and the Events Leading to Her Rearrest
Initially, Crystal Kaiser’s bail was set at $1 million. Prosecutors argued that the killing was premeditated. Despite acknowledging Volar’s abusive behavior, the state pointed to Kaiser’s alleged plan to steal Volar’s car and the fact that she had downloaded a police scanner app on the day of the shooting.
Conversely, Kaiser maintained that she acted in self-defense, claiming that Volar had pinned her down and attempted to rape her. Her case started gaining significant media attention a year after the incident. Activists like Tarana Burke, Alyssa Milano, and Cyntoia Brown, whose case shared similarities with Kaiser’s, rallied in support.
The Cyntoia Brown Case: Parallels and the Question of Race in the Justice System
Cyntoia Brown’s case resonates deeply with Crystal Kaiser’s. Brown was convicted of murder and robbery at 16 for the 2004 killing of Johnny Michael Allen, who had allegedly solicited her for sex. Brown shot Allen in the back of the head, took money from his wallet, and fled the scene in his truck.
Originally sentenced to life imprisonment, Brown’s case received renewed attention in 2013, leading to a commutation of her sentence to 15 years. She was released in 2019. Both Kaiser and Brown were underage victims of sex trafficking, sparking debate about the legal rights of sexual abuse victims acting in self-defense.
The question of race inevitably arises when a white victim is involved, and the defendant is Black. The duration of Kaiser’s initial incarceration, despite clear mitigating circumstances surrounding her actions, raised eyebrows. It took community effort to secure her release on $400,000 bail.
Denying the role of race in such situations would be naive. However, it’s crucial to acknowledge that legal precedents need to be established through appellate courts.
Being a victim of a crime, regardless of its nature, doesn’t automatically grant a free pass to commit murder. A clear understanding of the law is paramount, ensuring juries are equipped to deliver informed verdicts.
Crystal Kaiser’s Bail Reduction, Subsequent Arrest, and Upcoming Trial
In February 2020, a Kenosha County Circuit Court judge reduced Crystal Kaiser’s bail from $1 million to $400,000. Months later, in June, Kaiser was released on bail, with funds raised by various support groups. Fast forward to January 2024, five months before her trial, prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Kaiser for violating her bond conditions.
Local reports indicate that on January 7th, Milwaukee police responded to a 911 call from Kaiser, who claimed a man had physically assaulted and attempted to rape her in a local apartment. Kaiser identified the man as a child molester while he could be heard pleading with her to stop hitting him.
The man was later identified as David Melton, Kaiser’s live-in boyfriend and a non-compliant registered sex offender. Upon arriving at the scene, police reported that Kaiser used abusive language towards Melton after discovering his status as a convicted sex offender and that he had lied to her about his probation.
Officers stated that Kaiser lunged at Melton, striking him repeatedly in the face and resisting their attempts to escort him from the premises. Police arrested the now 23-year-old Kaiser but released her the following day when prosecutors initially declined to press charges.
However, the District Attorney’s office later decided to file disorderly conduct charges, prompting Kenosha County prosecutors to add four felony bail jumping charges and one count of failing to update her address. These charges could potentially lead to her reincarceration.
This incident reveals a concerning pattern of Kaiser entering into relationships with registered sex offenders, suggesting a cycle of victimization.
The fact that the police initially did not detain her after the second incident and that charges were only filed after deliberation by the prosecution highlights the complexities of the case.
Kenosha prosecutors have requested the judge to reinstate Kaiser’s $1 million bail in the homicide case.
The core issue remains whether an individual will return to court, regardless of being a victim of a crime. If located swiftly and she chooses to surrender, it might influence the judge’s decision regarding bail, as it demonstrates a willingness to face trial.
With the trial approaching, the defense hopes for a favorable outcome that would result in her exoneration. However, as it stands, the situation remains uncertain.
Each bail jumping charge carries a potential prison sentence of up to three years. Crystal Kaiser’s homicide trial is scheduled to commence in June. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
