Justice can be a subjective thing, one person’s concept of a fair outcome is just as easily another person’s painful realization. In the case of Cyntoia Brown, it was a twisted narrative that started with exploitation and, in many respects, found its conclusion subjected to the same principles thanks to a fading reality star. Netflix seeks to shine an unflinching light on it all with their upcoming documentary, “Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story.” The documentary is billed as a complete look at the events that shaped this case and national headlines that would eventually surround it.
Not without its own share of controversy, the film’s subject has taken to social media with her misgivings about the project. Some of Brown’s negative attitude towards this documentary comes from her announcement of a project which she feels will tell the story in what she noted was “the right way.” No doubt there remains a push to tell true crime stories out of morbid curiosity more than a sense of justice, yet viewers may be in for something different if they watch with an open mind. While Brown may be against the footage, the possibility that it could open the eyes of some to the complications of one size fits all justice might make it worth a viewing.
Netflix’s Official Synopsis:
“In 2004, 16-year-old Cyntoia Denise Brown was arrested in Nashville, Tennessee, for murdering a 43-year-old man who picked her up for sex. She was tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison — Cyntoia’s fate seemed sealed. The film shows the complexity of a child who was the product of three generations of violence against women in her biological family. And how in 2019, after nearly 10 years of legal challenges, Governor Bill Haslam granted her request for clemency. He did so following a slow shift in the state for legislative change in juvenile sentencing laws and having seen evidence of her maturity, education, and good behavior as a prisoner.”
The Netflix exclusive documentary “Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story” arrives on the service April 29. Watch the trailer below to get your first look.