Cyntoia Brown is Free today. She should have never been locked up

When Cyntoia Brown was 16, she killed a man over twice her age who allegedly hired her for sex. Despite being 16, she was tried as an adult, convicted of first-degree murder and given a mandatory life sentence with the possibility of parole only after serving 51 years.

Her case was thrust into the spotlight thanks to social media posts by celebrities calling for her release. One of those celebrities was Rihanna:

View this post on Instagram

did we somehow change the definition of #JUSTICE along the way?? cause..... Something is horribly wrong when the system enables these rapists and the victim is thrown away for life! To each of you responsible for this child's sentence I hope to God you don't have children, because this could be your daughter being punished for punishing already! #FREECYNTOIABROWN #HowManyMore

A post shared by badgalriri (@badgalriri) on Nov 21, 2017 at 5:12am PST

Today, she walked free from the Tennessee prison.

But she should have been NEVER locked up. The justice system failed Cyntoia numerous times as proven by the fact at this point, Cyntoia has spent half of her life behind bars. She was sentenced to life in prison in 2004 in connection with the killing of a 43-year-old man. 

At the time, 16-years-old Cyntoia she was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree felony murder, and aggravated robbery. Her sentence required her to serve at least 51 years in prison before she was even eligible for parole.

Nevermind the conditions surrounding the event that landed her in jail, to begin with, the murder of that 43-year-old man real-estate agent named Johnny Mitchell Allen.

Cyntoia's testimony is that she was defending herself from Allen, who, for all intents and purposes, was committing statutory rape. After all, there is no such thing as a teen or a child prostitute.

She testified during her trial that, at the age of 16, she was solicited for sex by Allen. Cyntoia was forced into prostitution by a 24-year- old man named "KutThroat". Of KutThroat, Cyntoia says "You're not listening. I made him money. He wasn't going to let me go nowhere. He told me he'd kill me. He knows where my mom lives. And I know if a dude choked me until I almost passed out he's not afraid to kill me."

According to Cyntoia, Allen brought her back to his home, where she saw a gun cabinet that alarmed her. 

She further testified that she had been forced into prostitution by a pimp and resisted Allen. When she resisted, Cyntoia said she saw Allen reach under the bed, and, believing he was going to kill her, in self-defense, she reached for a gun in her purse and shot him, she said. During her trial, Cythoia explained Allen was "...a sharpshooter in the Army. I'm sitting here thinking if he does something, what am I going to do?"

However, the prosecution argued that Cyntoia robbed Allen, killing him to steal his wallet. Thus she was charged and sentenced and sent off to prison.

Nowhere was there any mention of why this young woman was alone in a bedroom with Allen, or how she had been forced into prostitution. She was just a child. Where was justice for her? 

Despite numerous chances to have her case revisited, it seemed that justice would evade her. 

Then the outcry on social media began. Folks like Rihanna, Lebron James, and Snoop Dogg used their platforms to come to the aid of Cyntoia. MoveOn and other philanthropies reached out to show support. There was even a documentary that was created about Cyntoia. The cry of injustice echoed from social platforms to legal platforms.

Today, she was released from prison, a 31-year-old woman with her associate's degree with plans to create a non-profit to aid troubled youth.

While Cyntoia's story feels happy as she walks free today, I cannot help but see all the ways justice failed her. Being tried as an adult as a 16-year-old rape victim who acted in self-defense but was treated as an adult murderer is alarming. Cyntoia needed help, not imprisonment. Cyntoia needed healing, not incarceration. Cyntoia needed a fresh start, not to be charged and convicted. 16-year-old Cyntoia deserved better, and the justice system failed her. Who knows how long she would have sat in prison without the aid of concerned and informed folks.

While we celebrate with Cyntoia, we think about these things. We also are ready to ensure that the other Cyntoias who may be unfairly imprisoned have their freedom as well.