On Friday, Governor Gavin Newsom of California pardoned her for the fatal shooting of the man, George Howard, in 1994, saying Ms. Cruzan had “provided evidence that she lives an upright life and has demonstrated that she is capable of restoring social order.” Zoe. rights and responsibilities”. The case had reignited criticism of the way courts treat survivors of abuse, especially those who are teenagers. Criminal justice reform advocates said the judge in her case did not treat her with enough compassion. Ms. Kruzan, although 16 at the time of the crime, was tried as an adult, and the judge did not allow evidence of the abuse to be presented during her trial, the Los Angeles Times reported. Amid a growing public outcry over the treatment of abuse survivors, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, commuted her sentence in 2011. Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, then allowed her release in 2013 after serving 18 years. In the pardon, Mr. Newsom, a Democrat, said that after the murder, Ms. Kruzan “turned her life around and devoted herself to community service.” Sara Kruzan’s case has reignited criticism of how courts treat abuse survivors, especially those who are teenagers. “This act of clemency for Ms. Kruzan does not minimize or condone her conduct or the harm she caused,” Mr. Newsom wrote. “She recognizes the work she’s done since then to transform herself.” Ms. Kruzan described feelings of surprise and relief in a statement shared with The New York Times on Tuesday by her literary agent. “I will never forget what happened that night and fully acknowledge what he did, but I am extremely grateful to feel some relief from the burden of shame and social stigma,” he said. Ms Kruzan added that she “felt an overwhelming influx of emotions: primarily awe and elation but also shock and sadness as I thought about everything that led up to this moment.” Since her release, Ms. Kruzan said, she has worked to expand awareness and correct misinformation about sex trafficking. In May, Ms Kruzan, 44, published her memoir, ‘I Cried to Dream Again: Trafficking, Murder, and Deliverance’, in which she recounted how she was ‘abused, groomed and trafficked for sex from the age of 11 to of 16.” She also wrote about her suicide attempts, her criminal case and her fight for freedom. She noted that she was a recipient of the Stoneleigh Fellowship, which funds efforts to change systems that affect youth, at the nonprofit Human Rights for Kids. Mr Newsom said the pardon did not eliminate or erase her conviction, but would “remove counterproductive barriers to employment and public services”. Ms. Cruzan’s pardon was one of 17 Mr. Newsom announced Friday, along with 15 transfers and one medical suspension, according to his office. Since taking office in January 2019, Mr. Newsom has granted a total of 129 pardons, 123 transfers and 35 suspensions. Susan C. Beachy contributed research.
