When Justice is not Just

The Story and Fight for Cyntoia Brown

In December 2016, a 29-year-old student graduated with an associate's degree from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Any graduation is a cause for celebration, but what makes this story particularly special? The student’s name is Cyntoia Brown, and she’s currently serving a life sentence in prison for killing a 43-year-old man when she was 16 years old.

Although Brown’s trial ran over a decade ago, her story is far from over. She gained significant attention in 2011 when PBS produced a documentary on her life, called “Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story” and is currently gaining further widespread attention, with a hashtag (#FreeCyntoiaBrown) circulating on social media platforms. Most notably, celebrities such as Rihanna and Kim Kardashian West took to her aid in sharing her story in the now-widely circulated tweets:

Cyntoia Brown, now aged 30, ran away from home in her young teenage years and met a man named Kutthroat, who began to psychologically, physically, and sexually abuse Brown and prostituted her out for his own financial gain. On the demand of Kutthroat who wanted Brown to “make money”, the then 16-year-old Brown eventually met 43-year-old Johnny Allen, who wanted to pick Brown up for sex. The pair went back to Allen’s house, where Brown felt frightened for her life and shot Allen, killing him. Brown was then arrested, prosecuted as an adult, and received a life sentence for the crime.

The prosecution pinned Brown for robbery -- Newsweek states, “Prosecutors say Brown killed Johnny Allen, 43, in order to steal from him — she took several firearms and his pants, which contained his wallet. They also pointed to her past drug use and criminal juvenile record in an attempt to show a pattern in her life.” The jury eventually found her guilty of premeditated murder and aggravated robbery. Brown is currently incarcerated at the Tennessee Prison for Women and will be eligible for parole only when she is 69 years old.

This story is far from being an isolated instance of a young girl who committed a violent crime. Cyntoia Brown’s story is but one example of America’s failing criminal justice system and its complicity to violence against women.

Was it just for Cyntoia Brown to be tried as an adult? Had Brown been charged as a juvenile, whichshe was during the time of her crime, the Department of Children’s Services would have lost custody of herat age 19. After three years, Brown may have been able to return to some semblance of a normal life – maybe she would have gotten her Associate’s degree or graduated in a different context.

No certain action is so terrible that it should ever result in homicide; however, Brown, with a long-listed history of abuse by prominent male figures in her life such as her father and Kutthroat, would have been conditioned to fear for her life in a situation such as the one she was placed in. What about the conditions Brown had been in before her encounter with Johnny Allen? At 16, Brown was placed in various situations that she felt she would not be able to get out of safely, or even, alive.

While the truth may never be settled upon, the question is whether or not a child, who vehemently claims to have shot the man out of self-defense, deserves to receive a lifelong punishment instead of rehabilitation. In addition, Brown is only eligible for parole after she will have spent most of her years in prison.

Was it just for Cyntoia Brown to be tried as an adult?

Is the justice system really doing the right thing keeping a bright, motivated woman who is working to receive her Bachelor’s degree even within the confines of her prison? The crime of killing another human is as serious as any crime can get; however, the situation was never as black-andwhite as Brown being a coldblooded killer. In fact, even Preston Shipp, the prosecutorturned criminal justice reform advocate who worked on behalf of the Tennessee state in Brown’s case, stated:

“We must not be content to simply warehouse and forget about our children who commit crimes. Instead, we must invest in rehabilitative programs that bring about lasting change because we know children have great potential to improve and move beyond the worst moment of their young lives.”

For Brown as well as other children and women who were and are in a vulnerable environment and need positive reinforcements, the criminal justice system is failing to truly be just.

The revival of interest in Brown’s case is especially fitting in current times, as news of sexual assault by several prominent male figures in various industries of America is breaking. Although these two events seem to live in different worlds, separated by differences in class, they are connected – violence against woman, especially sexual violence, is a theme that runs throughout our society.

The contexts of each case differs according to what each victim experienced, but in the end,

Violence such as the one experienced by Brown exists because our society has failed to address the debilitating and violent effects of the rape culture that threads itself into our society’s norm.

Brown cleverly highlights the complicity of this society that turns a blind eye to the detrimental effects of male supremacy, during an interview for the 2011 documentary. When asked about the similarities between all the men that have been in her life, Brown insightfully answers:

“Selfish…they’re all selfish. They do whatever to get what they want. Makes them happy. They don’t think about other’s happiness. And everything that they do they feel they’re justified. They don’t ever accept fault.”

The interviewer then asks, “What did Johnny want from you?”

Brown answers, “Sex. For money –“ Then, after a beat, she changes her answer. “No. They all wanted acceptance and admiration. Hell yeah. That’s what they wanted… Then, you got Johnny. What did he say? ‘I want a woman to make love to me with desire.’… he [wanted] to be accepted. Hell yeah…”

Justice for Cyntoia Brown, until now,has not truly been just. Abused by her father as she grew up, abused by Kutthroat in her teen years, and fearful of her life in the presence of another older man, Brown made a decision that impacted the rest of her life. Her story is not only her own, but also the story of other women and children who were failed by the criminal justice system and our society’s inability to eradicate widespread violence against women.

As our society moves forward and progresses, it is imperative that the volume of stories like Cyntoia Brown’s diminish and that justice will be weighed by what will create the fairest outcome to produce the greatest amount of well-doing citizens, instead of creating the outcome that will produce the greatest amount of prisoners. Brown may have committed a crime, but she is also a victim and if true justice is not delivered soon, she might as well have lost her life that fateful day as well.

“Her story is not only her own, but also the story of other women and children who were failed by the criminal justice system and our society’s inability to eradicate widespread violence against women.”

By Sue Kim