NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Cyntoia Brown has been released after spending 15 years in the Tennessee Prison for Women. She was originally convicted of the deadly shooting of a Nashville man, a crime she committed when she was just 16-years-old.
In 2006, Brown was convicted by a Davidson County jury of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery for the 2004 murder of 43-year-old Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen.
Brown was reportedly trapped in prostitution and a victim of child sex trafficking at the time. She was emotionally, physically, and sexually abused by a man known as “Cut Throat”. Then 16-year-old Brown was picked up by Allen at a Sonic on Murfreesboro Pike and taken to his home.
At some point, believing her life was in danger, Brown says she shot Allen in self defense. Prosecutors maintain however, Brown was there to rob Allen as she also stole items from him including his wallet.
She received a life sentence with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 51 years in prison, which means she would not have been eligible for parole consideration until 2055, at the earliest, without the governor’s action.
Just before leaving office in January, Gov. Haslam granted clemency to Brown.
Conditions for Brown’s release plan require that she not violate any state or federal laws, and she is subject to special supervision conditions, including employment, education, counseling, and community engagement requirements.
Parole supervision will continue until August 7, 2029, at which point Brown’s sentence will expire.
While in prison, Brown has earned her GED and completed an associate degree in 2015 through the Lipscomb LIFE program with a 4.0 GPA. She will continue her course education while on parole.
In a statement released by her attorney, Brown said, “While first giving honor to God who made all of this possible, I would also like to thank my many supporters who have spoken on my behalf and prayed for me. “I’m blessed to have a very supportive family and friends to support me in the days to come. I look forward to using my experiences to help other women and girls suffering abuse and exploitation. “I thank Governor and First Lady Haslam for their vote of confidence in me and with the Lord’s help I will make them as well as the rest of my supporters proud.”