Cyntoia Denise Brown, the former teenage sex trafficking victim serving life in prison for killing a man who bought her for sex, was granted full clemency Monday by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam.
Brown, now 34, will have her life sentence commuted. She will be released to parole supervision on Aug. 7, having served 15 years in prison.
“This decision comes after careful consideration of what is a tragic and complex case. Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16,” Haslam said in a statement. “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.”

Brown thanked the governor for his “act of mercy in giving me a second chance.” She also expressed gratitude to her family, whom she called her “backbone.”
“With God’s help, I am committed to live the rest of my life helping others, especially young people,” Brown said in a statement. “My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been.

Former Teen runaway, Cyntoia Brown [photo], owned up to her crime. 15 years ago. The state of Tennessee believes she has atoned for her past deeds

When Brown was 16, Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen, picked her up on the side of the road for sex.
 Allen, a 43-year old real estate agent, met the teen prostitute in a Sonic Drive-Through on the night of August 5, 2004 and agreed to take her home and have sex with her for $150.

During the trial, Brown’s lawyers said Allen reached for his gun, prompting the teenage girl to shoot him.
She had been a runaway and living with her 24-year-old boyfriend Gary McGlothen. 

In 2004 16-year-old Brown was sentenced to serve a life time in jail in 2004, eligible for parole after 51 years

McGlothen was a pimp who went by “Kut Throat,” at the time.
After the shooting, Brown who went by the name Cyntoia Denise Mitchell  took $172 from the victim’s wallet, a couple of his guns and his truck and went back to the motel room she shared with her boyfriend.
The juvenile may have sealed her fate when policemen pulled McGlothen out, and she ran out shouting that “Cut had nothing to do with this! I’ll tell you all everything!”
McGlothen was arrested at the motel. He was ultimately released because the Brown did not “implicate him in any kind of way in this incident.”

Kim Kardashian West

Brown thanked the governor for his “act of mercy in giving me a second chance.” She also expressed gratitude to her family, whom she called her “backbone.”
“With God’s help, I am committed to live the rest of my life helping others, especially young people,” Brown said in a statement. “My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been.
When Brown was 16, Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen, 43, picked her up on the side of the road for sex. Brown’s lawyers said Allen reached for his gun, prompting the teenage girl to shoot him.
She had been a runaway and living with her 24-year-old boyfriend, a pimp who went by “Kut Throat,” at the time.
Brown said during her trial she had been choked, beaten and raped frequently at her home. She was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility for parole until 2055.

Brown has thanked the governor for giving her a second chance

Since her conviction, Tennessee laws have changed and now state that children are automatically considered the victim in sex trafficking cases.
Brown garnered widespread attention for her case, including from celebrities like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian West, LeBron James, and Snoop Dogg who took up the cause with posts on social media,called for her release. re-igniting the discussion. 
Aim achieved, Kardashian tweeted the news, thanking Gov. Haslam.
While in prison, Brown earned her GED and completed an associate degree program with a 4.0 GPA. She is expected to complete her bachelor’s degree program in May.