Cyntoia Brown, 31, gained notoriety over a decade ago for the murder of Johnny Michael Allen, a John (a prostitute’s client), while she herself was the victim of a sex trafficking ring and was still a teenager.
Brown was originally given a sentence of 51 years to life in a very controversial case that drew widespread attention.
Many claimed that the court’s decision was out of line and that the woman should have received more relaxed treatment given everything she had gone through.
Recently, a long list of high-profile celebrities including Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, and LeBron James called on Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam to grant clemency to Brown, and he did.
She was released on August 7, 2019, after 15 years behind bars and will do ten years of supervised parole. Now free, Brown is happily moving on with her life and has recently announced that she is married to Christian rapper J. Long who was part of the R&B group, Pretty Ricky.
The marriage was announced with plenty of photos on the rapper’s Instagram account.
It was not a normal wedding ceremony — according to Tennessee law, Brown had to get married by proxy, which implies that another person stood in for her at the nuptials and she exchanged her vows via a phone call.
Wes Yoder, a publicist for Brown, was asked to comment on the wedding story and said this: “They will tell the rest of their story later this fall.”
Brown’s memoir, Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System, is to be released on October 15.
Many of their fans expressed their best wishes and congratulations on social media upon learning about the wedding.
Others have been criticizing the rapper’s decision to marry Brown.
A person took to social media to say the following: “When I heard her story, I was appalled! I’m so happy that she was released and now has a decent chance at a real life. He knows she about to get paid.. making books and she definitely probably have a movie coming out.. he not slick.. he wants some of that money. ?”
This commenter revealed: “God, I really hope he’s not using this woman. That’s the last thing she needs. Seeing as how the spotlight will be on her. Cover her, lord and keep her safe and protected from all harm. In your name, I pray ?. Amen.”
This critic had this to say about the marriage: “Recently married? ? Oh boy I hope he isn’t using her she’s very fragile cuz she’s been incarcerated from a minor, she has a lot to learn about men n trust cuz the one aha trusted as a child sold her n used her….she deserves peace n most of all love ? I wish her happiness, kids and success….he better not break her poor fragile heart.”
Meanwhile, it does not look like the fallout over the Brown case is completely over.
Many are still calling for major reforms in the legal system as a result of the case, with some pointing out that it should serve as an example that proves just the amount of injustice that exists in the system in its current state.
