By Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio
Jefferson City, MO – Three women serving life sentences in Missouri for murdering their husbands were denied parole today.
In three separate cases, Vicky Williams, Carlene Borden and Ruby Jamerson all cited domestic violence as the reason for killing their husbands.
Former governor Matt Blunt signed a law in 2007 that gives battered women convicted of murder the opportunity to be paroled if they've been incarcerated for at least 15 years, had no prior felonies, if they're sentenced to life-without-parole or barred from seeking parole for 50 years, and if evidence of domestic violence was barred at their trials.
Amy Lorenz-Moser is the attorney for Williams and Borden.
"Well, it's certainly very disappointing...under the circumstances, both of these women have served over 30 years in prison for these crimes, which is much more than individuals convicted today of similar crimes are serving," Lorenz-Moser said.
Lorenz-Moser also says her clients meet the criteria for the 2007 law.
A spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Corrections would not comment on the cases, other than to confirm the state parole board's rulings.
Williams, Borden and Jamerson won't be eligible for parole again until September 2012.