Blumenthal helped free convict charged in murder

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- A former Florida man Senator Richard Blumenthal helped free from death row is now facing another murder charge.

Joseph Green Brown is accused of killing his wife in North Carolina.

He may not be known here in Connecticut, but in the 1980's Brown's case was well known to an attorney fighting to appeal his conviction for a 1973 rape and murder which landed Brown on Florida's death row. That attorney volunteering his services for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund is now Senator Richard Blumenthal. His former client is now accused of killing his wife in North Carolina.

"Do you have any doubts now about his innocence back then," asked News 8's Tina Detelj.

"I have no comment on this case, which is completely separate from the other," replied Sen. Blumenthal.

After Brown's conviction was overturned in 1986 Blumenthal, who was praised for his role in the case, commented on how it changed his view of the death penalty because it showed how the system could be fallible and cause the death of an innocent person.

"Any comment now I think would be inappropriate because there are pending charges," said Sen. Blumenthal. "There's an ongoing investigation so I really think that I have to avoid saying at this point anything about either case."

However, News 8 wanted to know if Brown's innocence is now called into question. The man who had always spoken openly about his death row experience hoping to get the death penalty overturned is accused once again of murder. This time for his wife of 20 years.

"So no doubts about what you did back then," asked Detelj.

"I really, you know I can't comment at this point on that case or this one because they may be confused or construed to apply to an ongoing investigation," said Sen. Blumenthal.

The biography on Blumenthal's Senate website says he saved the life of "an innocent, wrongly convicted death row inmate who came within hours of execution."