The story of Cyntoia Brown and her subsequent release from prison has been played out in the media. In August 2004, a 16-year-old Cyntoia met 43-year-old Johnny Michael Allen in a parking lot and within hours, she shot him in the back of the head. The then-teen's lawyers contested that she acted in self-defense after Allen made alleged advances toward Cyntoia, but a jury thought otherwise. She was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 51 years in prison.
Throughout the years, celebrities have come forward to speak out on behalf of Cyntoia Brown, calling her conviction unjust. She was released from prison in August 2019 and the now-31-year-old got married, has become an author, and is living her life of freedom. On Wednesday (April 15), Netflix shared the first trailer to their documentary Murder to Mercy. The film examines the crime and trial associated with Cyntoia Brown, but she has come forward to share that she had nothing to do with Murder to Mercy or its production.
"While I was still incarcerated, a producer who has old footage of me made a deal with Netflix for an UNAUTHORIZED documentary, set to be released soon," she wrote on Instagram. "My husband and I were as surprised as everyone else when we first heard the news because we did not participate in any way. However, I am currently in the process of sharing my story, in the right way, in full detail, and in a way that depicts and respects the woman I am today. While I pray that this film highlights things wrong in our justice system, I had nothing to do with this documentary." Check out her post below and watch the trailer for Murder to Mercy here.