NASHVILLE – Early this morning offender Cyntoia Denise Brown was released from the Tennessee Prison for Women. Former Governor Bill Haslam commuted the sentence of Brown on January 7, 2019. Per the commutation, Brown has now been released to parole supervision. As part of this commutation, there are several conditions that must be met including:
• Compliance with an approved release plan,
• Maintain employment or educational enrollment once placed on parole,
• Participate in regular counseling sessions, and
• Maintain a regular commitment to community service.
On the night of August 6, 2004, 16-year-old Brown met 43-year-old Johnny Michael Allen in the parking lot of a Sonic Drive-In on Murfreesboro Road in Nashville, Tennessee. Allen was a real estate broker and a United States Army veteran. Based on what Brown told investigators, Allen asked her if she was hungry and if she was homeless. Brown answered yes to both questions and accepted Allen’s offer to take her to his house. Brown and Allen ordered dinner and Allen drove the pair to his home. At a later hearing, Brown testified that she agreed to have sex with Allen for $150, but claimed that they never actually engaged in sexual intercourse. At some point during the encounter Brown shot Allen in the back of the head using her .40-caliber handgun. She then left the house in Allen’s Ford F-150 in possession of Allen’s wallet, containing $172, and two of his firearms. Brown left the truck at a Wal-Mart parking lot and flagged down an SUV for a ride home. Police later found Brown at the nearby Intown Suites.
Brown maintains she feared for her life during their encounter.
The re-entry plan that was developed will be shared with the supervising officers in the community. During initial meetings, offenders meet with their parole officer and review the conditions of their supervision. They are then supervised according to the evidence-based standards of supervision. These standards determine how often an offender meets with their officer and what additional programs they may need.
