Jane Laut’s only child speaks out in hopes of helping Olympian’s wife win clemency

OXNARD, Calif.-Family and friends of an Oxnard mother convicted of killing her Olympic bronze medalist husband are trying to help her appeal for clemency.

They believe Jane Laut was a battered woman who acted in self defense.

They created a Team Jane Facebook page.

They are collecting letters and emails to send to the governor.

Jane Laut is serving prison time at the Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla, California.

She was convicted of fatally shooting Dave Laut in the head during the summer of 2009.

A manhunt in Oxnard followed, but detectives later found evidence implicating Jane inside the home.

Dave Laut was 52 at the time of his death. He was well known in Ventura County for winning the Men's Shot Put bronze medal in the final event of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Like his father, Dave Laut was a track coach at Hueneme High. He was also the athletic director.

Together they had an adopted son they called Michael. Michael now goes by the name Emi and no longer lives in the area.

Emi Laut said, "Legally my name is Michael Laubacher, but I choose to go by Emi, I am the daughter of Jane Laubacher Laut and for 6 years now my mother has been in Chowchilla prison down in California."

She said Jane Laut lost her appeals in Ventura County before the "me too" movement and other legal changes.

"My mother and I are both victims of domestic abuse."

Emi Laut described her as kind and hopes people who believe in justice for domestic abuse will write, or email the governor.

"I believe my mother deserves this chance."

Emi Laut said she only wanted to protect her child and pets.

"Anytime I have discovered who I am in some way, like my gender, she has been there to support me and I think the results just weren't fair, because at the end of the day what she did back then, those many years ago was not something she wanted it was something she had no choice to do in order to protect her life, my life, the life of her dogs, " said Emi Laut," I just don't think it is right she has to stay there."

Jane Laut's niece Beth Laubacher Baumer said, "We have been fighting for her since the day of her unfair sentencing for defending her own, her son's and her dog's lives back in 2009. She went through trial, lost the trial all before [the] me too movement. We also fought for her through appeals in Ventura County and now it seems like the only chance she has left is to apply for clemency from Governor Newsom."

At sentencing Baumer remembers Judge Worley saying she was not a threat to anyone.

Baumer said her aunt has been a model inmate.

She is enrolled in self-help classes, and holds a job in prison.

They are asking people to write letters or emails of support and send them to his office.

An artist name Annie Bosko is releasing a song about the case.

Jane Laut is likely to spend another decade in prison if she does not win clemency.

For more information visit Team Jane Laut on Facebook.