Kenneth Harden had faced nearly 40 felony charges, including rape, criminal deviate conduct, battery resulting in serious bodily injury, intimidation, strangulation, domestic battery and criminal confinement, after he made his wife sign a sex slave contract in her own blood.
Instead, he was sentenced to just two years in prison with one year of probation after his wife recanted many of her accusations.
“The victim’s deposition was not consistent with her original police report,” said Jackson County Prosecutor AmyMarie Travis. “It became clear to the state of Indiana that it was proper to offer a negotiated plea agreement that we offered.”
It is unclear why the victim changed her statements, though it is often the case that victims of domestic abuse or violence recant because of fear of retaliation or manipulation on the part of the abuser to believe that the victim is at fault.
Police found a binder at the couple’s home titled “Sex Slave Manual 2014” that listed the woman’s chores, punishments, and other roles. The woman was forced to have sex every day and was tied down to the bed with ropes with duct tape over her mouth. She was burned with cigarettes, choked to unconsciousness and locked in a box for hours.