Brown was serving a life sentence for the murder of a 43-year-old man who solicited sex from her when she was 16. Her case gained national attention after Tennessee's Supreme Court ruled she must serve 51 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
The prosecution of minors has changed significantly in Tennessee and across the U.S. since Brown’s first trial in 2006. Back then, she was charged as an adult in the 2004 murder of real estate agent Johnny Allen. Allen purchased her for $150 in exchange for sex. At the time, Brown was only 16 and living with a 24-year-old pimp known as"Cut Throat.
Brown has since then said she shot Allen in self-defense. She was not allowed to testify at her original trial, which meant that evidence of her traumatic childhood history, such as her time under the care of the state Department of Children's Services, and her severe neurodevelopmental disorder wasn't presented. The then-teenager was sentenced to two concurrent life sentences.
Over her 15 years in prison, Brown received her associate's degree and has mentored other female inmates. Now, she'll have a second chance at life. "With God's help, I am committed to live the rest of my life helping others, especially young people," shortly after her sentence was commuted."My hope is to help other young girls avoid ending up where I have been."
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