What happened to Dawn Jackson? Abuse victim set to be released from prison after efforts from Kim Kardashian

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced on Monday, December 16, that he will commute the sentence of Dawn Jackson. Jackson is a 53-year-old woman who has been imprisoned for 25 years for the 1999 fatal stabbing of her step-grandfather, Robert McBride.

Dawn, who had been incarcerated at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility For Women in Hunterdon, N.J., will be released this week. Her case has drawn significant attention, with Kim Kardashian playing a pivotal role in advocating for her freedom.

Kim Kardashian's involvement in the case began in 2019 after Jackson wrote to her detailing the years of s*xual abuse she endured, including from McBride. The letter moved Kardashian to action, leading her to involve attorneys Erin Haney and Jessica Jackson from the REFORM Alliance, a criminal justice reform organization.

In a joint interview with PEOPLE on December 16 alongside Phil Murphy, Kim Kardashian shared that,

"I could feel her pain through the letters, She suffered so much ab*se — from the time she was a baby. None of that [testimony] was allowed."

Kardashian’s advocacy efforts included publicly highlighting Jackson’s story on social media and featuring it in her 2020 Oxygen Network series, Kim Kardashian: The Justice Project. Her persistent support eventually caught the attention of Governor Murphy, who launched the Clemency Initiative in June 2024 to expedite the review of cases involving survivors of s*xual and domestic violence.

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Governor Murphy’s Clemency Initiative and Dawn Jackson's journey to freedom

Governor Phil Murphy’s Clemency Initiative aimed to review cases like Dawn Jackson's, where survivors of abuse faced severe sentences. Jackson’s case was one of 36 granted clemency under this initiative. Her journey to clemency began in 2018 when she submitted her first application. However, Kardashian’s involvement brought heightened visibility to her plight.

Murphy acknowledged Jackson’s history of abuse and the failure of the justice system to consider it during her trial. He stated to the outlet that,

"She’s lived a hard life. She’s endured unimaginable trauma, s*xual abuse, dating way back to when she was a kid,"

He further added,

"The sentence was too harsh." The Governor also highlighted Jackson’s accountability and her positive conduct while incarcerated. "She’s taken accountability and she’s a model citizen."

In 1999, Dawn Jackson was charged with first-degree murder after the fatal stabbing of McBride. Her public defender advised her to plead guilty, resulting in a 30-year sentence without any of her abuse testimony being presented in court. This omission became a critical point of contention for Kardashian and legal advocates.

Governor Murphy emphasized the importance of understanding the broader context of crimes committed by ab*se survivors.

"You’d be making a big mistake to not take the seriousness of that crime as a central factor, but at the end of the day, the judgement on Dawn was overwhelmingly that this was the right decision," he said.

The reality star and Skims co-founder has worked on multiple high-profile cases, including the 2018 release of Alice Marie Johnson, a grandmother and non-violent drug offender. Kardashian’s legal interests stem from pursuing a law degree, with plans to take the final bar exam at the end of 2024.

Her advocacy for Dawn Jackson highlights her shift toward supporting clemency for individuals convicted of violent crimes.

"I thought I’d stay with low-level drug offenses," Kardashian admitted, "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?'"

According to the outlet, Dawn Jackson, a mother of eleven, has made significant strides in prison. She earned a high school diploma and is pursuing a degree in criminal justice. Upon her release, she plans to live with one of her daughters.

Governor Murphy called it a "jaw-dropping, life-changing moment" and emphasized the broader mission of the Clemency Initiative to secure more second chances for deserving individuals. Murphy said,

"Kim knows this but not everyone believes in second chances,"

He added,

"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."

Kim Kardashian and Murphy hope to meet Jackson soon and take her to dinner, though Kardashian’s current focus is on completing her law degree.