Fact check: Post gets Cyntoia Brown's story right, falsely states her parole date
The claim: Cyntoia Brown, convicted at age 16 of killing a man who paid her for sex, won't be eligible for parole until age 69.
An image being shared on Facebook claims that Cyntoia Brown, a Tennessee woman convicted of killing a man when she was teenager, remains in prison and won’t be eligible for parole until she is 69 years old.
The Facebook post, which has been shared over 75,000 times since it was posted July 7, reads:
“Imagine at the age of 16 being sex-trafficked by a pimp called ‘cut-throat.’ After days of being repeatedly drugged and raped by different men you were purchased by a 43 year old child predator who took you to his home to use you for sex. You end up finding enough courage to fight back and shoot and kill him.”
While the details in the post are generally correct, based on court documents, one key point is wrong. In fact, Brown was released in 2019.
Cyntoia Brown's story
The case of Cyntoia Brown has been in the national spotlight and has drawn significant commentary and reaction.
In 2011, her case was the focus of a PBS documentary, "Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story," and her plight inspired state legislation to protect minors from becoming victims of sex trafficking.
Brown’s case drew outrage because of the nature of the killing with which she was charged and her age at the time. As a 16-year-old, Brown was sentenced to life in prison for killing a grown man she said had paid her for sex.
Activists, celebrities and supporters of Brown advocated for her release, saying she'd been coerced into sex work as a minor and was acting in self-defense at the time she killed Johnny Michael Allen.
After national attention, including from celebrities like Kim Kardashian West, LeBron James and Rihanna, Brown had her sentence commuted by former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. She was released on Aug. 7, 2019, after she had spent 14 years in prison.
Haslam gave a statement on the nature of Brown’s case when he granted the commutation in January 2019.
"Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16," Haslam said. "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."
What actually happened?
Brown was outside a Sonic drive-thru restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee, on Aug. 7, 2004, when she was picked up by Allen, who bought her food and took her back to his home, according to police at the time.
Later that evening, while lying in bed with Allen, Brown shot and killed the 43-year-old real estate agent, later saying she believed he was reaching for a gun.
More: Cyntoia Brown was just granted clemency. Here's what that means.
In an appeal filed in 2014, Brown said that she was coerced into prostitution by a man with the nickname “Cut Throat.” At the time she said she was regularly using drugs, committing prostitution and giving “Cut” the proceeds, and suffering physical, emotional and sexual abuse at his hands.
The night of the homicide, Brown left the hotel room where she was staying with “Cut” and was approached by Allen, according to the appeals document. Allen offered to buy her food and asked if she was “up for any action,” which translated to asking if she was accept money for sex.
The post says Brown was "purchased by" Brown, which could imply enslavement or illegal ownership. Brown's own account, however, of events describes a one-time transaction.
The crux of the appeal came in Brown’s account of what occurred at Allen’s home, where he allegedly showed her his weapons and bragged about being a sharpshooter. At one point, Brown claimed Allen was reaching under the bed, causing her to believe he was reaching for a gun.
Brown herself then reached into her purse for her gun and shot Allen, which she said was in self-defense.
The details of Brown’s story in the Facebook post are mostly corroborated by court documents and her own account of the events. The language of the post closely matches a posting shared by Kim Kardashian West in 2017. While Brown has now been released, the parole date is incorrect anyway; she would have been eligible for parole at age 67.
Our ruling: Partly false
Statements in the post largely match police and Brown’s version of events. But the primary claim of the post — her parole date — is outdated and inaccurate. Brown was freed in 2019, and prior to the commutation of her sentence, her age at the time of parole would've been 67. We rate this claim as PARTLY FALSE, based on our research.
Our fact-check sources
NPR, Cyntoia Brown Released After 15 Years In Prison For Murder
PBS, "Me Facing Life"
Tennessee Department of Corrections announcement of Cyntoia Brown’s release
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Post tells Cyntoia Brown's story, except parole date
