Starz is in development on The Case of Cyntoia Brown, a limited drama series inspired by the story of Cyntoia Brown-Long.
Brown-Long served 15 years of a life sentence for killing a man when she was 16 years old. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and his G-Unit Film & Television are executive producing with La La Anthony.
Anthony, who has been a longtime supporter Brown-Long, brought the project to G-Unit. Santa Sierra, who is a co-executive producer on the project, is the writer. Brown-Long and her husband Jamie Long are consultants on the project, which is based on Brown-Long’s book, Free Cyntoia: My Search for Redemption in the American Prison System.
According to the description, the series “tells the story of Cyntoia Brown-Long who was sex trafficked by a boyfriend, tried as an adult at 16 years old and sentenced to life in prison for aggravated robbery and first-degree murder. Despite being a minor, the sentence required her to serve at least 51 years before being eligible for parole consideration, which would not make her eligible for parole until she was 67.”
“We’re honored to be entrusted with Cyntoia’s story, which shines a light on the injustice of a system that tried and sentenced an at-risk minor as an adult when she was a victim herself of sex trafficking,” said Christina Davis, President of Original Programming for STARZ. “This limited series from Curtis, La La and Santa chronicles Cyntoia’s long journey to freedom and furthers our #TakeTheLead programming mandate centered on narratives by, about and for women and underrepresented audiences.”
Brown was granted clemency and released in 2019. She is now an advocate for criminal justice reform and victims of trafficking.
The project was developed through Jackson’s overall deal through his G-Unit Film & Television, Inc.