Reality television star Kim Kardashian has enlisted a lawyer to help free Cyntoia Brown, the 29-year-old woman jailed 13 years ago for killing a man who had hired her as a sex worker, The Independent reported.

Kardashian is among several top celebrities, including Rihanna, LeBron James, Snoop Dogg and Cara Delevingne, who have been using social media to advocate for freeing Brown, The New York Times reported.

Brown, who was sentenced to life in prison in 2006, maintains that she shot the man, estate agent Johnny Allen, in self-defence. She was 16 when he picked her up in his truck and took her home. According to court documents, Brown said she saw Allen reach under his bed, thought he was getting a gun out and pulled out her own handgun and shot him.

Shawn Holley, Kardashian’s lawyer, told the Daily News, “Kim has championed the cause of Cyntoia Brown and asked me to help her get involved in that effort.” Holley was on a team of lawyers who defended former footballer OJ Simpson, who was found not guilty of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.

In a widely shared Twitter post, Kardashian said: “The system has failed...We have to do better and do what’s right. I called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this.”

Life in jail

Brown was tried as an adult in 2006, and a jury did not accept her claim of self-defence, The New York Times report said. They found her guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery and sentenced her to life in prision.

Brown is not be eligible for parole until she is at least 67.