Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has granted clemency to Cyntoia Brown, a woman who was sentenced to life in prison at age 16 for murdering a man she said solicited her for sex. Brown, now 30, will be released on parole supervision on 7 August after serving nearly 15 years.
Brown was convicted in 2006 for the 2004 killing of Johnny Allen, a 43-year-old Nashville estate agent. Prosecutors argued it was a robbery, but Brown claimed she acted in self-defence, fearing for her life after Allen groped her and reached under the bed, potentially for a gun. She said she was a child sex-trafficking victim.
Her case drew widespread support from celebrities including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian West, and LeBron James, and was the subject of a 2011 documentary. While incarcerated, Brown earned an associate degree and took steps to rebuild her life.
Governor Haslam stated that a life sentence requiring 51 years before parole eligibility was too harsh for a juvenile, especially given Brown's rehabilitation. Nashville Mayor David Briley called the decision a 'great day for social justice'.
Brown expressed gratitude and said she would do everything to justify the governor's faith in her. She is due for release on 7 August.
