A jury convicts Brown of first-degree murder and robbery. Superstar musician Rihanna again brings attention to Brown's case with the #FREECYNTOIABROWN Instagram post. She's also required to perform at least 50 hours of community service, including working with at-risk youth.
He left feeling 'even better' about granting her clemency. Brown is sentenced to life with the possibility of parole. A jury found Brown guilty of killing Johnny Allen after going home with him when she was 16. Cyntoia Brown will be released from prison on Wednesday, Aug. 7. The Tennessee Supreme Court issues a unanimous decision that says defendants convicted of first-degree murder on or after July 1, 1995, and sentenced to life in prison become eligible for release after serving a minimum of 51 years in prison.
Brown's advocates say she was forced into prostitution in fear of her life from an abusive boyfriend and was wronged by the legal system. FOR SUBSCRIBERS: Bill Haslam met Cyntoia Brown in prison. Birman builds Murder to Mercy from footage he collected for another film about Brown-Long called Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story, which premiered … The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments on whether Brown's life sentence is constitutional. Two members vote to recommend that the governor grant clemency, allowing for her release from prison. The state board of parole gives Gov. State officials said the law dictated that she serve at least 51 years before becoming eligible for release. Brown is released from the Tennessee Prison for Women about 3:20 a.m on August 7. Two others recommend the governor reduce Brown's sentence so she could be released after 25 years. All rights reserved. Cyntoia Brown, a woman serving a life sentence for killing a man when she was 16, appeared during her clemency hearing in May 2018. Nashville real estate agent Johnny Allen is found naked with a gunshot wound to the back of his head in his Mossdale Drive home. Brown and … eleased from the Tennessee Prison for Women, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. PBS documentary "Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story" airs nationally, bringing new attention to Brown's case. Bill Haslam a split recommendation on Brown's application for clemency. Haslam grants Brown's request for clemency, making her eligible for release later this year. Brown, 16, … Haslam's move came one month after the Tennessee Supreme Court said Brown had to serve 51 years in prison before being eligible for release. "I'm rejoicing," her attorney Charles Bone said. He left feeling 'even better' about granting her clemency. Prosecutors pushed for more time because of aggravated robbery and other factors in the crime. Bill Haslam met Cyntoia Brown in prison. then-Governor Bill Haslam granted clemency. Two vote to recommend that Haslam deny her clemency bid, meaning she would continue to serve a life sentence. SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Get the latest updates on Cyntoia Brown. Cyntoia Brown's story The case of Cyntoia Brown has been in the national spotlight and has drawn significant commentary and reaction. On December 6, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that Cyntoia Brown, a woman convicted of first degree murder as a teen, would have to serve 51 years in prison before being eligible for parole. During the hearing, Brown's lawyers said state sentencing laws conflicted, making it unclear if Brown would be required to serve 51 years or life without parole. The panel of judges agreed Tennessee's sentencing laws were confusing and contradictory. The U.S. Supreme Court rules that mandatory life without parole sentences for juveniles violate Eighth Amendment prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. Brown said she was a teen prostitute and shot Allen, 43, because she thought he was reaching for a gun under his bed. Defense attorneys push for a new trial and introduce new evidence about Brown having had fetal alcohol syndrome. In 2011, her case was the focus of … Its answer will inform the deliberations at the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. "We are confident she'll be as successful as a free woman as she had been as an incarcerated woman, but it is a totally different journey. © 2020 www.tennessean.com. Haslam says his team is still considering Brown's clemency petition and that he expects to announce a decision before leaving office in January. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals asks the Tennessee Supreme Court to clarify the state's seemingly contradictory sentencing laws.