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Chanel Boyd


Inmate Name: Chanel Boyd Charge: First degree murder Sentence: 40 years Prison: Lincoln Correctional Center, Illinois Chanel Boyd was born in 1961 to a mother who struggled with drug addiction. Her grandparents raised her and her siblings in inner city Chicago and as a young teen, Chanel liked to go to parties and hang out with friends, smoking marijuana and drinking. When she was 14, she met 17-year-old Jermaine Mullen. She dropped out of high school in her sophomore year, began selling drugs, and moved in with Jermaine at his grandparents’ home. At 15 she became pregnant. When Jermaine was sent to prison on a drug charge, Chanel moved back in with her grandmother and gave birth to her daughter Chontella in May 1997. Although she claims she loved her infant daughter, she admits she missed the freedom to go out with friends. When Jermaine was released from prison, Chanel, against the wishes of her grandmother, moved in with him again. But the couple argued. Chanel says she felt Jermaine was cheating on her and rarely helped out with Chontella. Statements to police by Jermaine described how Chanel would take out her anger against Jermaine on the baby. According to Chanel, the couple’s fighting got out of control the morning of February 17th. Chanel claims Jermaine slammed the baby against the wall to stop her from crying but that would not be what she would tell police. Chontella was rushed to the hospital where she was put on life support. There was evidence of head trauma and police questioned both Chanel and Jermaine. Jermaine, when questioned separately, claimed that he had come home late the night before, and when he awoke, Chanel said that the baby was on the floor and had trouble breathing. The police released Chanel to her family’s custody, asking her family to convince her to tell the truth. The next day Chanel phoned detectives and said she was ready to talk. She confessed to throwing Chontella against a wall on Valentine’s Day. Police believe on February 17th, Chanel realized Chontella wasn’t breathing and finally called 911. Armed with Chanel’s confession, the police questioned Jermaine again who confirmed the abuse. On February 19th, two days after she was brought to the hospital, baby Chontella died and Chanel and Jermaine were charged with first-degree murder. Despite Chanel’s young years, she was tried as an adult. At her trial, Chanel recanted her confession and clamed Jermaine smashed baby Chontella against the wall. Chanel was found guilty and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Due to lack of proof that Jermaine was present when Chontella received the fatal injuries, he was acquitted. Chanel maintains she is innocent.