On Wednesday, Tennessee officials announced that Cyntoia Brown, who killed a man at the age of 16, was released from prison.
Brown was convicted of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in 2006 after killing Johnny Allen, a real estate agent who picked her up for sex at a Sonic restaurant.
Brown has maintained that the killing was in self-defense, stating that she feared he would try to kill her. Until her recent release, she was serving a life sentence.
Shortly after her conviction, the story became worldwide. She began to receive a tremendous amount of support, with people demanding for her to be released.
Yasmin Vafa of Rights4Girls stated, “It’s a really important reminder that we have to take a nuanced approach to issues around criminal and juvenile justice reform. We have to understand the histories and backgrounds of young women and girls and what it is that’s propelling them into the system.”
Earlier this year, former Gov. Bill Haslam granted Brown clemency, stating that her situation was a “tragic and complex case.”
Nia Primus
