By Tamantha Hip-HopVibe.com Staff Writer
Great news! Governor Bill Haslam has granted clemency to Cyntoia Brown by commuting her life sentence. At 16 years old, she was convicted of first degree murder back in 2006, but claimed she killed Johnny Allen because he used her for sex trafficking and because she feared for her own life.
Via Nashville 5:
“This decision comes after careful consideration of what is a tragic and complex case,” Haslam 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. Transformation should be accompanied by hope. So, I am commuting Ms. Brown’s sentence, subject to certain conditions.”
As part of her parole, she cannot violate any state or federal laws and will be subject to a release plan approved by the Tennessee Department of Correction and special supervision conditions, including employment, education, counseling, and community engagement requirements.
Brown’s parole supervision will continue until August 7, 2029, at which point her sentence will expire.
This is awesome news for Cyntoia. She can finally begin to pick up the pieces to her life. I’m sure we will be seeing her story on Lifetime very soon.
