Murder to Mercy: The story of Cyntoia Brown

[iamwhatiseem]

Netflix Documentary
Poses a thought provoking situation; should a person convicted of 1st degree murder be let free for any reason?

Background: Cyntoia Brown had a childhood, that to say was terrible, would be an understatement. We are talking a nightmare.
Beginning by the age of 14 she was prostituting herself, living with a grown man who was also pimping her. Trafficking her.
One day she was led to an adult man for a whole night of sex. After sex she states she felt threatened by him, wasn't understanding the bizarre conversation in which he was talking about guns and killing, how his gun right beside him was loaded etc.
When the man went to sleep. She (saying she feared for her life) got his gun and shot hum dead. And took his wallet on the way out.

After serving 15 years in prison, numerous people saying she should be let go and is only still in prison because of archaic Tennessee laws (that were removed from the books because of this trial).
Should the fact she was so young, her entire childhood so bad that absolutely interfered with her ability to comprehend society, and what is right and what is wrong.
Should she be let go?

 

[ABikerSailor]

You know, while I think that people who commit murder should be locked up, I also believe that there are extenuating circumstances in many cases that need to be taken into account.

And, she's already done 15 years, which is quite a bit of time. If she can pass psychiatric tests to show she's not a menace to society, she should be released.

 

[EvilCat Breath]

No. No matter how bad her childhood was it does not justify murder and theft. She is very lucky that she did not get the death penalty.

 

[rightwinger]

No sympathy for her excuse

He may have threatened her but fell asleep. At that point she was free to go. She chose to kill him and then take his wallet

Shows cold blooded murder

 

[iamwhatiseem]

No sympathy for her excuse

He may have threatened her but fell asleep. At that point she was free to go. She chose to kill him and then take his wallet

Shows cold blooded murder

It is a tough one. (IMO)
There is no argument she committed the crime.
Indeed twice submitting appeals she was denied, because there is no legal precedent for a judge to declare a new trial . A judge doesn't have authority to undo a conviction because you seem nice.
Having said that....

Spoiler: SPOILER ---

After 13 years the governor commuted her sentence to manslaughter, time served - and she was released. The extenuating circumstances that her entire formative child years were spent being a victim of child trafficking, and other heinous abuse by every adult in her life

 

[TNHarley]

She is a cold blooded murderer. She was, at the time, young. So that is something to consider.
Probably psychopathic

 

[iamwhatiseem]

She is a cold blooded murderer. She was, at the time, young. So that is something to consider.
Probably psychopathic

The extenuating circumstances were her entire formative childhood was spent as a victim of child trafficking (the man she killed was a pedophile that paid her adult pimp for sex) She was pimped out to numerous adults for sex beginning at age 12. Every adult in her life was a disaster.

 

[TNHarley]

She is a cold blooded murderer. She was, at the time, young. So that is something to consider.
Probably psychopathic

The extenuating circumstances were her entire formative childhood was spent as a victim of child trafficking (the man she killed was a pedophile that paid her adult pimp for sex) She was pimped out to numerous adults for sex beginning at age 12. Every adult in her life was a disaster.

Oh yea. Her childhood was beyond fucked up. Which would explain her mental problems.

 

[rightwinger]

No sympathy for her excuse

He may have threatened her but fell asleep. At that point she was free to go. She chose to kill him and then take his wallet

Shows cold blooded murder

It is a tough one. (IMO)
There is no argument she committed the crime.
Indeed twice submitting appeals she was denied, because there is no legal precedent for a judge to declare a new trial . A judge doesn't have authority to undo a conviction because you seem nice.
Having said that....

Spoiler: SPOILER ---

After 13 years the governor commuted her sentence to manslaughter, time served - and she was released. The extenuating circumstances that her entire formative child years were spent being a victim of child trafficking, and other heinous abuse by every adult in her life

I would consider her age as a mitigating factor. But it was still cold blooded murder not manslaughter.

 

[rightwinger]

She is a cold blooded murderer. She was, at the time, young. So that is something to consider.
Probably psychopathic

The extenuating circumstances were her entire formative childhood was spent as a victim of child trafficking (the man she killed was a pedophile that paid her adult pimp for sex) She was pimped out to numerous adults for sex beginning at age 12. Every adult in her life was a disaster.

Oh yea. Her childhood was beyond fucked up. Which would explain her mental problems.

Most people in prison can point to a fucked up childhood.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

She is a cold blooded murderer. She was, at the time, young. So that is something to consider.
Probably psychopathic

The extenuating circumstances were her entire formative childhood was spent as a victim of child trafficking (the man she killed was a pedophile that paid her adult pimp for sex) She was pimped out to numerous adults for sex beginning at age 12. Every adult in her life was a disaster.

Oh yea. Her childhood was beyond fucked up. Which would explain her mental problems.

SPOILER FROM THIS POINT BELOW
I agree with the Govenors reducing the crime to manslaughter, and releasing her on time served.
But of course - does this set a precedent?
For instance, let's say a 16 year old boy shoots and kills someone in a drug deal gone wrong... and that boy's parents basically trained him to sell drugs. He grew up with every single adult in his surroundings influenced him to an extent that seriously warped his ability to comprehend right and wrong.
Is this different than her case?
This judgement will be used in the future you can bet.

SECONDARY QUESTION - If a childs parents were not only complicit with whatever crime was committed, but knowingly influenced the child to commit that crime - SHOULD THEY BE JAILED ALSO?

 

[TNHarley]

She is a cold blooded murderer. She was, at the time, young. So that is something to consider.
Probably psychopathic

The extenuating circumstances were her entire formative childhood was spent as a victim of child trafficking (the man she killed was a pedophile that paid her adult pimp for sex) She was pimped out to numerous adults for sex beginning at age 12. Every adult in her life was a disaster.

Oh yea. Her childhood was beyond fucked up. Which would explain her mental problems.

Most people in prison can point to a fucked up childhood.

Hers was especially fucked up

 

[strollingbones]

human life seems to have little value today...what is the term used....nhi...no human involvement....
she kills a pedie...fuck all dont yall cheer for child mos to be killed in prison yet you condemn this woman for doing exactly that?

 

[strollingbones]

karma can be a bitch...seems he earned his...now did she earn hers? or was it pushed on her by white mans justice?

 

[TNHarley]

human life seems to have little value today...what is the term used....nhi...no human involvement....
she kills a pedie...fuck all dont yall cheer for child mos to be killed in prison yet you condemn this woman for doing exactly that?

Good point

 

[strollingbones]

being a pagan....we truly believe some men/women deserve to die and earn that right...one of those ways is killing a child....we do not advocate for murdering a child mo as that will simply result in more kids being murdered after being molested....radical shunning and exile exists for a reason

 

[iamwhatiseem]

karma can be a bitch...seems he earned his...now did she earn hers? or was it pushed on her by white mans justice?

Oh he certainly earned his death.
In the appeal his family goes on about he was a caring person.... uh... caring people don't solicit children to have sex with. I believe he was showing her his guns and talking about killing people, not to threaten her per say...but to scare her into staying quiet about her being a child "prostitute."