Biden’s Final Clemency Includes Convicted Murder Conspirator In Connecticut Double Homicide

In one of his last moves as president, Joe Biden commuted the federal sentence of Adrian Peeler, a man convicted in connection with the 1999 killings of an 8-year-old boy and his mother in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The commutation has been widely criticized as a blow to the families of the victims and a failure of justice.

Peeler’s role in the murders of Leroy “B.J.” Brown and Karen Clarke shocked the community over two decades ago. Acting under the orders of his brother, Russell Peeler, Adrian was part of a plot to silence the young boy, who had identified Russell as a shooter in a prior case. The killings, carried out inside the victims’ home, spurred the creation of Connecticut’s witness protection program.

Initially sentenced to 25 years for conspiracy to commit murder and a concurrent 35-year federal sentence for drug trafficking, Peeler had been scheduled to remain in federal custody until 2033. Biden’s decision to grant clemency reduces his sentence significantly, with release now set for July 2025. This abrupt reduction has drawn outrage from victims’ advocates and state officials.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, who was Connecticut’s Attorney General at the time of the murders, expressed disbelief at the decision. “This was a heinous crime that led to crucial reforms. It is unconscionable that clemency was granted in this case,” Blumenthal said. Other officials, including Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, echoed these sentiments, calling the clemency “a grave mistake.”

The killings left a lasting mark on Bridgeport, with a park and mural dedicated to B.J. Brown. The tragic case also resulted in enhanced protections for witnesses, especially children. However, Biden’s commutation has reopened wounds for the victims’ families, with Clarke’s brother Oswald saying the decision retraumatized them.

Despite widespread criticism, Biden defended his clemency actions as part of broader criminal justice reform, stating they focused on individuals serving disproportionate sentences. Federal prosecutors in Connecticut, however, revealed they were neither consulted nor informed of the commutation beforehand.