萨拉·克鲁赞16岁时，开枪打死了一名男子，她说这名男子从她13岁起就虐待她并贩卖她进行性交易。将近30年后，她已经被加州州长加文·纽瑟姆赦免。

1995年，克鲁赞在作为成年人受审后，因一级谋杀加上连续四年的枪支强化，被判终身监禁，不得假释。她后来获得了两次减刑，直到在监狱服刑近20年后被释放。

此后，克鲁赞成为政策改革的倡导者，在全国范围内保护性交易受害者，结束青少年无假释的生活。

“在经历了层层创伤后，我知道在治疗中有很深的价值和欣赏，并有治愈的愿望和勇气，”她写道，据法律倡导组织不凡法律在哪里她是一名假释司法辩护律师。

纽瑟姆发布赦免令是因为她在宣传方面的工作以及她的康复之旅。

纽瑟姆在一份声明中说:“她提供了证据，证明她正过着正直的生活，并证明她适合恢复公民权利和责任。”“Kruzan女士犯下了夺走受害者生命的罪行。从那时起，克鲁赞女士改变了她的生活，并致力于社区服务。

州长办公室在一份新闻稿中表示，赦免不会删除或抹去定罪，旨在消除“对就业和公共服务产生反作用的障碍，恢复公民权利和责任，并防止定罪带来的不公正的附带后果。”

据州长办公室称，该计划还旨在纠正法律制度中的不公正结果，并解决被监禁者的健康需求。

纽瑟姆说，他已经批准了16项赦免、15项减刑和一项医疗缓刑。

Woman sentenced for killing her abuser as a teen pardoned by Gov. Gavin Newsom

When Sara Kruzan was 16 years old, she shot and killed the man who she says had abused her and trafficked her for sex since she was 13. Almost 30 years later, she has beenpardoned by California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In 1995, Kruzan was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for first-degree murder plus a four-year consecutive firearm enhancement after being tried as an adult. She later had her sentence commuted twice until she was released after almost two decades in prison.

Since then, Kruzan has become an advocate for policy reform, protecting sex trafficking victims and ending juvenile life without parole sentencing nationwide.

“Having experienced layers of trauma, I know there is deep value and appreciation in healing, and having the desire and courage to heal,” she wrote, according to the legal advocacy group Uncommon Law whereshe has worked as a parole justice advocate.

Newsom issued the pardon due to her work in advocacy and her journey toward healing.

“She has provided evidence that she is living an upright life and has demonstrated her fitness for restoration of civic rights and responsibilities,” Newsom said in a statement. “Ms. Kruzan committed a crime that took the life of the victim. Since then, Ms. Kruzan has transformed her life and dedicated herself to community service.”

A pardon does not expunge or erase a conviction, the governor’s office stated in a press release, and is intended to remove “counterproductive barriers to employment and public service, restore civic rights and responsibilities, and prevent unjust collateral consequences of conviction.”

It is also intended to correct unjust results in the legal system, according to the governor’s office, as well as address the health needs of incarcerated people.

Newsom said he has granted 16 other pardons, 15 commutations and one medical reprieve.