Cyntoia Brown, who was an inmate at the age of 16-years-old, will be released from prison Aug. 7 after serving nearly 15 years behind bars as a result of a life sentence she received as a juvenile. Being sentenced to life in prison at the age of 16 is extremely too rough.

 

During the #MeToo movement last year, throughout social media her case somehow resurfaced again. Celebrities like Rihanna, LeBron James and more posted her case stating how the justice system has failed Brown, and a hashtag #freecyntoiabrown was then created to shine a light on her case.

 

After 15 years behind bars, Governor Bill Haslam has granted Brown clemency. Haslam said, “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,” according to Fox News. Exactly as Haslam stated  

 

During trial on Aug. 25, 2006, Brown was charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. This was an unfair sentencing, considering she was a juvenile but was charged still as an adult.

 

Brown was a child placed for adoption by her alcoholic mother and later moved in with an abusive boyfriend. She was sexually assaulted and forced into prostitution, forcing her to fight for her life.

 

She did not deserve life in prison. Brown was living with a man who’s source of income was making Brown become a prostitute. She had no father, no mother, no one in life to guide her to a better path in life.

 

There have been other juvenile murder cases, where the juvenile did not get charged as an adult. The Florida King brothers, 12-year-old Alex and 13-year-old Derek King, who were sentenced to only serve eight years despite having premeditated the murder of their father in 2001, according to a 2009 NBC article.

 

Seems like Brown has obviously been trying to better her life behind bars because she was able to earn her GED and received an associate degree from Lipscomb University in December 2015, with a 4.0 grade-point average. According to a Jan. 7 Washington Post article.

 

Now, with the help of highly known advocates in the U.S. and Haslam, Brown will be given a second chance in life. This is astonishing and a relief that there is a light at the end of the tunnel after a horrifying past, a second chance at life is given back to her.

 

The sentence Brown received was extremely harsh, especially for a juvenile from a broken home, abusive and drug-related past. A child like that wouldn’t fully understand what is right or wrong. Without positive reinforcements or positive examples in life, it’s hard for a child who is still developing in the mind, to understand what is the right thing to do.

 

Although it took 15 years to grant her clemency, murder is murder, and Brown can’t change her past. But with the time she has served, she has had time to reflect on life and soon will be able to rebuild and start a new life. Brown has shown growth and revealed her true character.

 

“With God’s help, I am committed to live the rest of my life helping others, especially young people,” Brown said. “My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been,” Brown said in a statement according to a CBS News article.

 

Although Brown lost her childhood, she will be able to tell her story and help other young girls who are struggling with a dark past.