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Bresha Meadows, a 15-year-old-teen accused of fatally shooting her father, is fighting to be released from jail ahead of her May 22 trial.

Meadows, has been interned at Trumbull County Juvenile Detention Center in Ohio, after she was charged with aggravated murder for the July shooting of her father, Jonathan Meadows. At a Thursday hearing, Judge Pamela Rintalao delayed the decision until Monday.

Family and close friends of Meadows claim the teenager acted in self-defense, citing the teen, her siblings, and her mother, witnessed and experienced years of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of the family patriarch. Jonathan’s family has denied any instances of abuse.

In 2011, Meadows’ mother, Brandi Meadows, filed a police report and protective order against her husband, telling police that she was afraid for her life.

“In the 17 years of our marriage he has cut me, broke my ribs, fingers, the blood vessels in my hand, my mouth, blackened my eyes. I believe my nose was broken,” the report read, according to the HuffPost “If he finds us, I am 100 percent sure he will kill me and the children.”

Ian Friedman, Meadows’ lawyer argued in court that Bresha’s case is specific because of her father’s alleged abuse.

“She had to take matters into her own hands believing that if she didn’t stop her father, it was just going to get worse and eventually somebody was going to die,” Friedman said.

Friedman also claims Bresha needs to be released to receive adequate mental care. In February, a mental evaluation diagnosed Meadows with post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety.

SOURCE: HuffPost, The New York Times

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