Biden Commuted Sentence Of ‘Non-Violent’ Drug Dealer Convicted In Killings Of Mother, 8-Year-Old

Former President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of a Connecticut drug dealer who was convicted in the killings of a mother and her eight-year-old son as part of a slate of thousands of pardons for “non-violent” criminals.

Adrian Peeler, 48, was ultimately only convicted of conspiring to kill Karen Clarke and her eight-year-old son, Leroy “BJ” Brown, despite the testimony of an eyewitness, the Connecticut Post reported.

The mother and son were attacked as they came home to their apartment in January 1999 — just weeks before they were set to testify against the drug dealer’s brother, who was accused of shooting Clarke’s boyfriend in front of the small boy. Peeler’s brother reportedly gave the order to kill the mother and son.

Clarke was found shot multiple times and lying face up on the floor of her son’s room with a phone just inches from her hand. Her son was found dead in the hall with a gunshot wound to the back of his head.

Peeler was sentenced to 25 years in prison on the murder conspiracy charge as well as 35 years for drug dealing.

During his last days in office, Biden commuted Peeler’s sentence as part of his mass clemency for nearly 2,500 federal prisoners the former president called “non-violent.”

“Today, I am commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted of non-violent drug offenses who are serving disproportionately long sentences compared to the sentences they would receive today under current law, policy, and practice,” Biden said in a statement.

Even one of Connecticut’s Democrat senators expressed discomfort with the pardon.

“It seems to me that someone dropped the ball here to let this person get released,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). “This was a really vicious murder that changed our laws. It also highlights how we need to take a look at the pardon system to see how it can be improved.”

The killings led to Connecticut creating its witness protection system.

The brother of the murdered mother said the pardon is “shocking” for his family.

“I’m sick and tired, and I’m disgusted,” Oswald Clarke, told the Associated Press. “It’s a very shocking thing. My family is very distraught about it. It’s like we’re being traumatized all over again.”

Russell Peeler was originally sentenced to death for the murders, but that was changed to life in prison when Connecticut abolished the death penalty.

The brothers’ mother was a Bridgeport city cop who urged them to follow the law. Before she died of stomach cancer she urged her sons to spend her insurance money on finishing college, but Russell Peeler used the money as a seed for his drug empire instead.