Kim Kardashian Just Helped Another Prisoner Go Free - Hear The Heartbreaking Details!

Kim Kardashian has stepped up for yet another prisoner!

Just like she did on behalf of Alice Marie Johnson a few years back, the SKIMS mogul has once again used her massive platform to advocate for the freeing of a prisoner decades after she was first incarcerated. This time around, the prisoner in question is New Jersey resident Dawn Jackson. The 53-year-old was imprisoned back in 1999 on a 30-year sentence after pleading guilty to killing her step-grandfather Robert McBride. The thing is, though, this was after he’d committed sexual abuse against her for years. As we’ve seen in other big cases, that kind of motive makes a difference when it comes to sentencing these days.

Kim has been speaking out in support of Dawn. And it’s finally paid off!

On Monday, citing Jackson’s long incarceration, the extenuating circumstances around her crime and motive, and Kim’s tireless advocacy on her behalf, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that he is officially commuting her sentence. Speaking to People about that decision, Governor Murphy credited the KUWTK alum for bringing Jackson’s case to his desk:

“Kim deserves enormous credit on this one.”

Now, after more than 25 years of her life spent at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Hunterdon, New Jersey, Jackson’s petition for clemency has been granted, and she will walk out of prison this week as a free woman! Incredible!!

Reacting to Governor Murphy’s decision to commute her sentence, Kim told the mag:

“We were all so emotional, we couldn’t believe it. Just to know these people’s cases were heard and people believe in them the same way we do.”

The key reason Governor Murphy commuted Jackson’s sentence hinged on the long history of sexual abuse she endured at the hands of McBride from the time she was a young girl. Those details were not allowed to be revealed in court after Jackson was first arrested and charged nearly three decades ago. And since Jackson wasn’t allowed to reveal that abuse history on the record prior to trial, she was advised by attorneys to plead guilty and serve 30 years instead of a possible life sentence. (Sounds a bit like the Menendez Brothers case, doesn’t it?)

In 2019, following Alice Marie Johnson’s release from prison, Jackson wrote to the SKKN By Kim mogul about her situation. Kim received those letters and was so moved by Dawn’s story in them that she sent the correspondence along to two lawyers with whom she works — Erin Haney and Jessica Jackson at REFORM Alliance, a criminal justice reform organization. Recalling how saddened she was by Jackson’s frank explanation of her circumstances at the time of the murder, Kim told People:

“I could feel her pain through the letters. I said ‘Erin, we have to help this woman.’ She suffered so much abuse from the time she was a baby. You think about how we want to protect our kids and to think that no one was there to protect her. None of that [testimony] was allowed.”

Soon, Kim and Dawn had formed a bond through their written correspondence. And from there, the reality TV star began to advocate for the incarcerated woman. In 2020, for example, Dawn’s story was one of those featured on Kim Kardashian: The Justice Project on the Oxygen Network. Kim explained:

“I think it just is a bit more of an emotional relationship because I deeply feel the compassion that she deserves after everything that she’s been through. This has been a great journey of empathy, and has opened up my heart and soul to so many people that I never thought I’d have the opportunity to get to meet.”

This past June, Governor Murphy launched the Clemency Initiative, which created a process to expedite various legal cases for his office to review for possible commutation — particularly surrounding instances in which incarcerated individuals had been survivors of sexual abuse and/or domestic violence. And on Monday, the governor officially granted clemency to Dawn and 35 other individuals in New Jersey through that groundbreaking initiative. He said:

“This is probably the most emotional moment of my seven years as Governor. She’s lived a hard life. She’s endured unimaginable trauma, sexual abuse, dating way back to when she was a kid. The sentence was too harsh — and if that wasn’t enough she’s taken accountability and she’s a model citizen and I agree completely with Kim.”

As for Kim, she is particularly shocked that she was so moved to advocate on behalf of a murderer:

“I thought I’d stay with low level drug offenses, but after meeting people inside [prison] and hearing their stories and to look at the picture of Dawn Jackson at 5 and 6 and 7 years old when she was getting raped, you think, ‘How could no one help her?'”

And the reality TV star added:

“It’s the notion of throwing someone’s life away forever — especially if you don’t consider what they have been through, especially if it’s been abuse since they were a child. It’s a deeper conversation and a bigger issue.”

Upon release, the plan is for Dawn to move in with one of her daughters. Governor Murphy concluded his thoughts on the matter by again praising Kim along with looking ahead to doing more work in the realm of forgiveness:

“It’s jaw dropping, life-changing moment, and we’re hoping to bring more of those across the goal line in the next year. Kim knows this but not everyone believes in second chances. And frankly, I think we’re a nation that‘s built on giving people second chances — and at the end of the day, that’s what this is about.”

Amazing!

Now, Kim’s next step is to meet Dawn one day soon for a celebratory dinner. That will be so heartening! That’s not all that’s on Kim’s plate, though. The beauty mogul also confirmed to People in Monday’s interview that she’s finishing up law school and is now on the doorstep of officially becoming a lawyer:

“I’m in my last course, which has been a five-year journey for me. And at the end of this year, I’m taking my final bar exam, and I’m just going to be focusing on that. But we’ll never stop focusing on the cases that we’re working on and figuring out ways to amplify them.”

Wow! It’s obviously been a very, very long road for her in that regard. Here’s hoping the last course and then the bar exam both go well for the Calabasas native!

In the meantime, you can see more from Governor Murphy’s event on Monday to commute those aforementioned three dozen prison sentences, including that of Jackson (below):

And here is more from four years ago on Kim’s Justice Project initiative, and where Dawn fit into that realm:

This whole thing is so inspiring. We seriously love to see Kim doing such good in the world!

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Consider calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.

[Image via MEGA/WENN]