A DA Cleared Him. But a Fox Rothschild Partner May Still Be Under Bribery Investigation by Texas AG
In addition to urging the denial of wrongful incarceration compensation to Alfred Dewayne Brown, records that show that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office has launched a criminal investigation into one of Brown's pro bono attorneys, even though two local prosecutors dismissed the allegation as unfounded.
October 29, 2019 at 05:00 AM
7 minute read
The original version of this story was published on Texas Lawyer
Alfred Dewayne Brown (left) and his attorney, Brian Stolarz partner in Fox Rothschild in Washington, D.C.
A Fox Rothschild partner, who's worked 12 years pro bono for a wrongfully convicted black man in Texas, found himself in the crosshairs of Houston police, who sought to make him the subject of a criminal inquiry.
Brian Stolarz of Washington, D.C., who won habeas corpus relief that freed Alfred Dewayne Brown from death row, was the target of a criminal complaint by the Houston Police Officers' Union. That complaint came shortly after the union also urged Texas politicians to deny compensation for Brown's wrongful incarceration on charges he murdered a Houston police officer.
Texas Lawyer has obtained records that show that Ray Hunt, the police union's past president, on June 12 emailed a criminal complaint to the Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Polk County's district attorney. The complaint alleged that Stolarz promised to pay $2,000 to a co-defendant in Brown's criminal case to entice that inmate to change his previous statement that Brown was at the crime scene.
Polk County Criminal District Attorney Lee Hon has dismissed Hunt's complaint without filing charges.
But Marc Rylander, a spokesman for Paxton, declined to comment when asked if the office is still investigating the allegation.
'Helpful to Harris County'
Texas Lawyer obtained an email that shows that a criminal investigator in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office had inside knowledge—and worked to derail—a separate civil lawsuit Alfred Dewayne Brown filed against Harris County over his wrongful conviction.
The records show the office worked to leak information from Paxton to the media to harm Brown's suit against two municipalities and other defendants.
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