Cyntoia Brown, who served 15 years of a life sentence for killing a man when she was a 16-year-old prostitute, has been released from a Nashville prison, Tennessee officials announced early Wednesday.
Earlier this year, then-Gov. Bill Haslam took the unusual step of granting Brown clemency for what he called a “tragic and complex case,” a major victory for Brown and her supporters, who for years have maintained that the 2004 killing was an act of self-defense.
Over the years, the fight for Brown’s release has brought prominent lawyers to her defense, a PBS documentary and backing from celebrities including Kim Kardashian West and Rihanna. Her case also inspired the introduction of state legislation aimed at protecting minors who are victims of sex trafficking.
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