Sex-Trafficking Survivor Featured In Kim Kardashian West Doc Will Be Released From Prison

Alexis Martin, a sex-trafficking survivor whose case was featured in Oxygen's "Kim Kardashian West: The Justice Project," is set to be released from prison after having her life sentence commuted by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday.

The governor granted Martin's commutation along with six others to reduce prison populations and prevent the spread of COVID-19, reported The Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper. Martin will be released to a group home, where she will be "under supervision for an extensive period of time,” according to DeWine.

“The facts of her case are particularly, particularly unique,” DeWine said.

When she was only 14 years old, Martin said she was sex trafficked by Angelo Kerney, the man she would later plead guilty to killing.  

Kerney was shot to death in 2013 after two of Martin’s friends entered his home with the intention to rob him, Kim Kardashian West told “The Justice Project.” They also shot and injured Kerney’s brother, who was raping Martin at the time of the break-in, according to Kardashian West.  

Martin, then 15, was arrested for Kerney’s murder, and she was tried as an adult, reported Cleveland.com. The court ruled there was not enough evidence to prove that the trafficking was related to the shooting, Martin’s attorney, Jennifer M. Kinsley, told “The Justice Project.” 

“The system will take on the case and try them as adults, and to me, that is so broken … no one is protecting them,” Kardashian West told Oxygen.com while discussing cases from the documentary. 

Martin pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 21 years, according to Cleveland.com. While in prison, Martin earned her GED, became a certified dog trainer, and ran a group for survivors of human trafficking.  

"Despite all the obstacles that Alexis has faced, I am so touched by her efforts of just wanting to do better in her short period of time behind bars," Kardashian West told "The Justice Project."

After spending six years in prison, Martin is expected to be released some time this week, according to Cleveland ABC affiliate WEWS-TV. Hearing the news, Kardashian West tweeted a thank you to DeWine, writing that she was "honored to be able to share her story on the Justice Project."

Martin is excited to take back control of her life and continue her work as an advocate, one of her attorneys, Sasha Naiman, told WEWS-TV.

“I’m looking forward to continue reading her poetry and to seeing how she continues being an advocate for other survivors in trafficking,” Naiman said. “That’s her big goal.”

In a previous letter to Kardashian West, Martin wrote that she was "still working on healing from the trauma of my past, but I am so hopeful for my future, whatever that may be."

To hear more about Martin's story, watch “Kim Kardashian West: The Justice Project” now on Oxygen.