The 16-Year-Old Killer: Cyntoia’s Story (Trailer)

The 16-Year-Old Killer: Cyntoia’s Story explores the case of Cyntoia Brown, a young sex worker who was convicted of killing her client. Given up for adoption and forced into prostitution at an early age, she was arrested in 2004, at the age of sixteen, for the murder of Johnny Allen. Although her defence claimed that she feared being killed by Allen, she was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Filmmaker Daniel Birman documents Cyntoia’s case from the week of her arrest, through her trial, and over a six-year period. Seeking to provide a platform for understanding the circumstances behind her actions, Birman offers unique insight into her childhood, family history, and the traumatic events that led up to the murder, while also questioning her treatment by the US justice system.