Karen Sypher is a free woman

After nearly seven years in prison, Karen Sypher is a free woman.

Sypher has been living at a halfway house since January, but today, her sentence officially expires. Back in February 2011, Sypher was sentenced to 87 months in prison for trying to extort cash, cars, and a house from Rick Pitino. I’m sure you remember the details of the trial, which helped launch this very website into stardom, but in case you forgot, here’s Matt’s account of Pitino’s testimony, in which the former coach admitted he had sex with Sypher on a table in Asian Porn.

Pitino then said when asked about the sexual encounter, “unfortunate things happen.” They had a drink and moved to a booth just behind the bar. Pitino said, “one thing led to another” and then she “opened up my pants.” She asked Pitino if he had a condom and he said no. She said “well you have to pull out because I am fertile.” Pitino said this concerned him, but he continued and the entire sexual encounter “took less than 15 seconds.” He said he knows that he did not ejaculate inside of her. “We talked, I pulled my pants up and we left a short time later.”

Six-and-a-half years later, those statements still seem surreal. If you’re looking for something to do today, go back and read Matt’s posts about the trial. And, if you’re anywhere near Middletown, Kentucky, keep an eye out for Karen; she’s been spotted there in recent weeks.

Karen Sypher Trial: The Opening Arguments
Karen Sypher Trial Day 2: Invasion of the Secondary Characters
Sypher Trial Day 3A: The Pitino Testimony
Sypher Trial Day 3B: The Guy Waiting While Rick Was Gone in 15 Seconds
Sypher Trial Day 4A: Rick Pitino Finishes His Time On the Stand
Sypher Trial Day 4B: The Guy Who Married Karen Sypher Speaks
Sypher Trial Day 5: The Men Who Were Seduced By Sypher
Sypher Trial Day 6: Lots of Random People Speak