Tennessee Governor Grants Clemency To Cyntoia Brown, Woman Who Said She Was A Sex Trafficking Victim

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam has granted clemency to Cyntoia Brown, a 30-year-old woman serving a life sentence for murder who said she was a victim of sex trafficking. The outgoing Republican governor, whose term ends in just two weeks, said he would show mercy to Brown by releasing her on August 7.

She will remain on parole supervision for 10 years on the condition she does not violate any state or federal laws, as well as holds a job and participates in regular counseling sessions.

"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.

Brown issued a statement expressing thanks to Haslam, her family and legal team.

"I am thankful to my lawyers and their staffs, and all the others who, for the last decade have freely given of their time and expertise to help me get to this day," Brown 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."

Brown's case has attracted national attention from criminal justice reform advocates, and attention has amped up as Haslam's second and final term entered its final weeks. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian West and singer Rihanna threw their support behind the fight for her release. The governor's office was inundated with thousands of phone calls and emails from supporters.

Kardashian West applauded the news on Twitter shortly after the announcement. 

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 in Nashville.