History of Cyntoia Brown in Timeline

Cyntoia Brown Long is an American author and speaker notable for her controversial conviction and subsequent advocacy work. At 16, she was convicted of robbing and murdering Johnny Allen in 2004, a man who had paid her for sex. Brown, a victim of child sex trafficking, claimed she feared for her life during the encounter, leading to the shooting. Despite her claim of self-defense, she was sentenced to life imprisonment. Her case garnered significant attention, raising debates about sex trafficking, juvenile justice, and self-defense. After years of legal battles and public outcry, she was granted clemency and released from prison in 2019, later becoming an advocate against sex trafficking.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education

January 29, 1988: Cyntoia Brown Born

On January 29, 1988, Cyntoia Brown Long, was born. She later became an author and speaker known for her experiences as a victim of child sex trafficking.

Others born on this day/year

April 2001: Involvement with Department of Children's Services

In April 2001, Cyntoia Brown began spending time with the state's Department of Children's Services due to committing "crimes against a person, and crimes against property."

September 2003: End of DCS Custody

In September 2003, Cyntoia Brown's time in the custody of the Department of Children's Services ended.

August 6, 2004: Meeting Johnny Michael Allen

On August 6, 2004, 16-year-old Cyntoia Brown met 43-year-old Johnny Michael Allen, a real estate agent and youth pastor, in Nashville.

August 2004: Runaway and Meeting McGlothen

In August 2004, Cyntoia Brown ended up as a runaway on the streets of Nashville and met Garion L. McGlothen, who began trafficking her.

November 14, 2004: Tried as Adult

On November 14, 2004, Juvenile Court Judge Betty Adams Green decided that Cyntoia Brown would be tried as an adult, despite being only 16 years old at the time.

2004: Incident and Conviction

In 2004, Cyntoia Brown, a victim of child sex trafficking, was involved in an incident where she shot Johnny Allen, who she claimed had paid her for sex and whom she feared. She was subsequently found guilty of robbing and murdering Allen.

March 2005: Earned GED

In March 2005, while in prison, Cyntoia Brown earned her GED with a score of 656.

March 30, 2005: Death of Garion L. McGlothen

On March 30, 2005, Garion L. McGlothen, Cyntoia Brown's former pimp, died at the age of 24, having been shot and killed by Quartez Hines.

2011: Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story

In 2011, Garion L. McGlothen's story was featured in the documentary, Me Facing Life: Cyntoia's Story.

2013: Renewed Interest in Case

In 2013, Cyntoia Brown's case received renewed interest, leading to further developments in her legal situation.

December 2015: Associate Degree

In December 2015, Cyntoia Brown earned an associate degree in Liberal Arts with a 4.0 GPA from Lipscomb University while in prison.

2016: "Sentencing Children" Video Series

In 2016, Dan Birman continued to follow Brown's case and other instances of juveniles sentenced to long terms in a seven-part online video series.

November 21, 2017: Viral Social Media Support

On November 21, 2017, Cyntoia Brown's case went viral due to social media posts from celebrities expressing outrage over her sentence.

2017: "Sentencing Children" Video Series

In 2017, Dan Birman continued to follow Brown's case and other instances of juveniles sentenced to long terms in a seven-part online video series.

March 2018: Clemency Hearing Announcement

In March 2018, it was announced that the Tennessee Board of Parole would hold a hearing on Cyntoia Brown's clemency petition.

May 28, 2018: Clemency Hearing

On May 28, 2018, Cyntoia Brown's public clemency hearing was held at the Tennessee Prison for Women, with divided opinions from the parole board.

December 6, 2018: Tennessee Supreme Court Ruling

On December 6, 2018, the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled that Cyntoia Brown would be eligible for parole after serving 51 years, leading to a resurgence of support and calls for clemency.

January 7, 2019: Sentence Commuted

On January 7, 2019, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam commuted Cyntoia Brown's sentence to 15 years plus 10 years of supervised parole.

May 2019: Bachelor's Degree

In May 2019, Cyntoia Brown earned a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Organizational Leadership with a 4.0 GPA from Lipscomb University while in prison.