Sixteen-year-old Cyntoia Brown's sexual encounters had included many rapes, assaults during or before sex, and times when she was under the influence of drugs.[1] Brown had a physically and sexually abusive pimp named "Kut-throat" (sometimes shortened to just "Kut"), who brandished guns at her and forced her into prostitution.[3][4] Brown was picked up by a 43-year-old real estate agent, Johnny Allen, and taken to his house on August 6, 2004.[1] Brown stated that for several weeks leading up to that day, she had been repeatedly raped and was on drugs.[3] When she arrived at Allen's house, she found it contained several guns. Brown said that she was afraid that she would be shot, which led her to shoot and kill Allen. Brown was then arrested for Allen's murder.[2][1]
Prosecutors argued that her motive for killing Allen was robbery.[4] This was, in part, due to video-recorded admissions Brown made during her arrest. Brown admitted to lying about her age when she first encountered her victim.[citation needed] While Allen slept, she left the room, found his gun collection, returned to the bedroom and shot him while he slept.[5] Prosecutors raised the point that Brown premeditated the murder, because the victim was asleep, she had an opportunity to leave and chose not to. Brown later told investigators that Allen had reached for something and she feared for her life, but the forensic evidence didn't support it. Evidence shows Allen was asleep when he was shot dead with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. His hands were underneath his body and partially interlocked indicative of a person who is sleeping. When Brown left Allen's house, she took his wallet, guns, and his car.