Trans woman CeCe McDonald was released from a men’s prison facility one year early, where she was serving 41 months for fatally stabbing a man who attacked her in a hate crime.

On June 5 2011, the Minnesota native was walking past a local bar late at night with a group of friends. According to McDonald’s testimony, her group was attacked by another group of people who were shouting racist and transphobic slurs.

A fight allegedly broke out between the two groups, resulting in McDonald stabbing her attacker, Dean Schmitz, to death. McDonald said that she used a scissors to defend herself against Schmitz.

McDonald, 24, was charged with two counts of second-degree murder. However, in May 2012 she accepted a plea bargain and her charge was reduced to second-degree manslaughter.

Throughout her case, McDonald was supported by LGBT activists worldwide. Her incarceration was deemed as unjust, and her placement in a men’s facility was considered discriminatory.

Orange Is The New Black star Laverne Cox greeted McDonald as she left prison yesterday. Cox is currently working on a documentary about McDonald’s story and throughout her incarceration campaigned tirelessly for her release.

Watch the video below.