A Tennessee woman, Cyntoia Brown, who is serving life in imprisonment for the murder of a man who bought her for sex as a teenager in 2004 has been granted clemency.

The governor’s office in a statement on Monday, said Brown who is now 30, will be released to parole supervision on August 7.

The statement reads in part,

“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.

“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.” 

The news has since excited top American celebrities and personalities who had earlier advocated for Brown’s clemency via their social media pages.

Personalities like Jada Pinkett Smith, Meek Mill, Kim Kardashian West, Sophia Bush, celebrated the news on their Twitter handles.

In 2004, Brown killed on Johnny Mitchell Allen who she said solicited her for sex and took her back to his house. Prosecutors claimed that she shot Allen while he was asleep and stole his money, gun and truck, and fled. They said the shooting wasn’t motivated by self-defence, but robbery.

But Brown, 16 at the time, said she was scared by Allen’s behaviour and took the money because she didn’t want to return empty-handed to her pimp, nicknamed “Cut Throat.”

A juvenile court found her competent to be tried as an adult and she was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

See some posts:

We’re all smiling Queen! #CyntoiaBrown pic.twitter.com/2343VPTLlh

— beauteaqueens (@beauteaqueens) January 7, 2019

#CyntoiaBrown has been granted clemency!

I wish she’d be free before August-and have never faced this terror in the first place. Still, 15 yrs could have been 50+.

Here’s to activists, @RepAkbari + black legislators & @BaylorSwindell & Cyntoia’s team.https://t.co/yYevnjZD9t

— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) January 7, 2019

Something worth sharing: Cyntoia Brown has been granted clemency ‼️?? She’ll be released August 7, 2019. #CyntoiaBrown pic.twitter.com/TWymrvnFzb

— Chrisyyy? (@_MikeyyyyD) January 7, 2019

?????? Thank you Governor Haslam ?????? https://t.co/rAiru84fgn

— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) January 7, 2019

THANK YOU Governor @BillHaslam!!!! https://t.co/Qmt4vFSXvC

— Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapsmith) January 7, 2019

It happened!! Thank you to everyone who fought for Cyntoia. Every phone call. Every letter. When you wonder, “I’m just one person, what can I do?” Look at how many of you added up to create a wave of support and get the attention of the powers that be! YES! #CyntoiaBrown https://t.co/W9SZDjUg1y

— Sophia Bush (@SophiaBush) January 7, 2019

 

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???????? #cyntoiabrown granted clemency… shout out to the people that used their voice.. it really matters!

A post shared by Meek Mill (@meekmill) on Jan 7, 2019 at 10:09am PST