Newsom pardons woman who killed sex trafficker, spent decades behind bars

[iemanja]

Shocking story of girl tried as an adult at age 16 for killing her rapist, someone who had sex trafficked her for years.

Men get off without prison time for rape, yet women--even girls--who defend themselves face very harsh penalties. This was/is America, even before MAGAs and Roe being overturned.

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Friday pardoned Sara Kruzan, a victim of teen sex trafficking who spent nearly two decades in prison after killing her abuser and has since become a national advocate for prison reform.

Kruzan was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole in September 1995 for killing George Gilbert Howard as he attempted to sexually assault her. Howard sex trafficked her for years, starting when she was a teenager.

Kruzan was tried as an adult at age 16.

In December 2010, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger commuted Kruzan’s sentence to 25 years to life, according to Newsom’s pardon. By 2013, Kruzan was again resentenced to a total term of 19 years to life, and then-Gov. Jerry Brown released her after she had served 18 years in prison.

Newsom’s pardon says Kruzan has “transformed her life and dedicated herself to community service.”

[Victor_c3]

1. This had to have been a jury trial, right?

I find it hard to believe that a jury would have convicted this girl for killing her abuser when she was 16.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Why would you find it hard to believe?

[iemanja]

4. Turns out she's black

https://people.com/crime/calif-woman-pardoned-27-years-after-killing-the-man-who-trafficked-her-as-a-teen/
So there's that.

I assume it was a jury trial because the charge was murder. I don't know if murder can be eligible for a bench trial.

[Joinfortmill]

2. Hope they do book/movie $ she makes millions