Tennessee prison parole board split on clemency for Cyntoia Brown

NASHVILLE -- (WZTV) -- The state's Board of Parole is split on whether to recommend clemency for a woman serving a life sentence for killing a man in Nashville when she was a 16-year-old prostitute.

Cyntoia Brown is behind bars for the murder of Nashville realtor Johnny Allen.

The state's Board of Parole made a non-binding decision on Thursday as to whether or not to let Brown out early.

Members were split three ways: Two members were for letting Brown out, two other members were recommending to keep her in jail and two members wanted her conviction to second-degree murder with a 25 year sentence and eligibility for parole after 25 years. She has already served 14 years.

The decision will ultimately be up to Gov. Bill Haslam.

The controversial case has sparked the #FreeCyntoiaBrown movement, shared by A-List celebrities like Rihanna and Kim Kardashain, and an online petition that's garnered 400,000 signatures since coverage from FOX 17 News.