Cyntoia Brown, who said she was victim of child sex trafficking, was convicted of murder more than a decade of ago and sentenced to life in prison. On Monday, Tennesseee Governor Bill Haslam granted the now 30-year-old clemency.
Haslam, whose term ends in two weeks, said he would show mercy to Brown, whose case has attracted national attention, by releasing her on August 7. She will remain on parol for 10 years.
Brown said in a statement that she will do everything to justify Haslam’s faith in her and thanked her family for their support.
“I love you all and will be forever grateful,” she said. “With God’s help, I am committed to live the rest of my life helping others, especially young people. My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been.”
A statement from #CyntoiaBrown herself: pic.twitter.com/zb0I2FzWp6
— Steven Hale (@iamstevenhale) January 7, 2019
Brown was convicted in 2006 of murdering 43-year-old Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen two years earlier. 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 in Nashville.
However, according to her lawyers, Brown was a victim of sex trafficking who not only feared for her life but also lacked the mental state to be culpable in the slaying because she was impaired by her mother’s alcohol use while she was in the womb.
The US Supreme Court has ruled against life-without-parole sentences for juveniles. However, the state of Tennessee argued successfully in lower courts that it was not in violation of federal law because Brown did have a possibility for parole: She was sentenced to serve at least 51 years of her life sentence.
During her time in prison, Brown completed her GED and took college classes. She is currently one course away from finishing a Bachelor’s degree at Lipscomb University.
“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,” Haslam said in his statement.
‘Justice is finally served’
Nashville Mayor David Briley praised Haslam’s decision, calling it a “great day for social justice and our city.”
Others, including several celebrities who lobbied on Brown’s behalf tweeted their appreciation to Haslam.
Democrat Stacey Abrams, who ran a close governor campaign in neighbouring Georgia, tweeted, “Justice has finally been served … This victory belongs to Cyntoia Brown & to the Tennessee human traffacking activists, especially Black women, who refused to concede to injustice & instead organized to create change.”
Justice has finally been served: #CyntoiaBrown has been granted clemency. This victory belongs to Cyntoia Brown & to the Tennessee human trafficking activists, especially Black women, who refused to concede injustice & instead organized to create change. https://t.co/ANC0aOXj5N
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) January 7, 2019
The ACLU said on Twitter that it is thrilled that Brown is finally receving justice, but “Cyntoia never should have been sentenced so harshly to begin with, and we can’t lose sight of the fact tht she is still receiving an excesssive 10 years probation”.
The rights group added, “the fight against harsh sentencing goes on.”
We’re thrilled that Cyntoia Brown is finally seeing justice.
Cyntoia never should have been sentenced so harshly to begin with, and we can’t lose sight of the fact that she is still receiving an excessive 10 years probation.
The fight against harsh sentencing laws goes on. https://t.co/yMUA5mVUiD
— ACLU (@ACLU) January 7, 2019
Kim Kardashian West tweeted, “Thank you Governor Haslam.”
👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Thank you Governor Haslam 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 https://t.co/rAiru84fgn
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) January 7, 2019
SOURCE:
Al Jazeera and news agencies
