Sara Kruzan, who was convicted of murder as a teenager for killing a man who had sexually abused and trafficked her, has been pardoned by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
When Kruzan murdered George Gilbert Howard in a Riverside, California, hotel room in 1994, she was 16 years old. The following year, she was convicted of murder and given a life sentence. She testified throughout her trial that Howard had started sex trafficking and abusing her at 13.
Her sentence was reduced in 2011 by then-governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to life in prison with the possibility of release. In 2013, she was granted parole and released from jail, but the conviction remained.
In his pardon, Newsom said that Kruzan had “provided evidence that she is living an upright life and has demonstrated her fitness for restoration of civic rights and responsibilities.”
“Since then, Ms. Kruzan has transformed her life and dedicated herself to community service,” Newsom wrote. “This act of clemency for Ms. Kruzan does not minimize or forgive her conduct or the harm it caused. It does recognize the work she has done since to transform herself.”
“Do I wanna move forward with love? Or do I wanna move forward with fear, anger, and pain?” Kruzan said. “Now, I wanna move forward in love. And that takes a lot of courage to do that.”
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Does Sara Cruzan have a go fund me?