Reality TV stars rarely get the benefit of the doubt. Times that by a thousand if you’re a member of the ubiquitous Kardashian clan. No matter the denim, the lip kits, or the perfume, people are always asking what, exactly, you produce for society.
Kim Kardashian West has clapped back to the haters with a healthy dose of social justice.
Pic via Instagram ladysoulfly
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If your timeline is anything like mine, you’ve been inundated with calls for action about Cyntoia Brown. Her life is a study in the failures of the criminal justice system that makes for a compelling narrative. As a child, she was the victim of sex trafficking, and at 16, she was arrested for the murder of a man who’d paid to have sex with her, Johnny Mitchell Allen. Brown never denied her actions, claiming self-defense. Despite the tragic circumstances that led Brown to interact with Allen, she was tried as an adult, and sentenced to life in prison.
The ACLU has recently launched a campaign to bring attention to injustice in the criminal justice system. The results have been viral, with #FreeCyntoiaBrown trending. And Kardashian West has done something more than just tweet about it — she’s hired lawyers to get on the case.
The system has failed. It’s heart breaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life! We have to do better & do what’s right. I’ve called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this. #FreeCyntoiaBrown pic.twitter.com/73y26mLp7u
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) November 21, 2017
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Kim tapped lawyer Shawn Holley to assist with the #FreeCyntoiaBrown effort. Holley also revealed to the New York Daily News that Kardashian West also has her assisting with the case of Alice Johnson. The 63-year-old Johnson was sentenced to life in prison for her first-time, nonviolent drug conviction; she is currently 21 years into her time.
“Kim asked me several weeks ago how she could help Alice Johnson in her fight for justice. We then began corresponding with Alice and her team of lawyers,” Holley told the Daily News.
“Since then, Kim has championed the cause of Cyntoia Brown and asked me to help her get involved in that effort as well,” Holley said Thursday.
Kim Kardashian West: putting her money where your hashtag is.
Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).