Cynthoia Brown, now 30, who was imprisoned in the United States for the rest of her life at the age of 16 for fatally shooting a 42-year-old man whom she was reportedly trafficked to for sex will soon be released from prison after she was granted clemency by Tennessee Governor, Bill Haslam.
Brown is expected to be released on August 7, 2019 after already serving 14 years behind bars.
However, she will remain on parole supervision for 10 years on the condition she does not violate any state or federal laws, holds a job, and participates in regular counseling sessions.
According to Governor Haslam, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile was too harsh.
In a statement, he said “Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16. Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life”.
Brown reportedly completed her GED and is now one course away from also completing a Bachelor’s degree at Lipscomb University.
In a statement sent out by her legal team, Brown expressed her gratitude for being given a second chance at life.
“I am thankful for all the support, prayers, and encouragement I have received. We truly serve a God of second chances and new beginnings. The Lord has held my hand this whole time and I would have never made it without him,” Brown said. “Let today be a testament to his saving grace” she said.
The woman received widespread support after her case was brought to the forefront by celebrities like Kim Kardashian West and Rihanna and other social media personalities such as Francis Maxwell.
Brown was convicted in 2006 of murdering 43-year-old Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen two years before.
Police said she shot Allen in the back of the head at close range with a loaded gun she brought to rob him after he picked her up at a drive-in theater in Nashville to have sex with her.
However, according to her lawyers, Brown was a victim of sex trafficking who feared for her life.
