“Whatever it takes to do this, I will do it, like I always have,” he said. After 1996, I would have been eligible for parole and it’s been 14 years since then. Freud acknowledged the irony of Bryan being released after three decades during the widespread coronavirus pandemic, when everyone is being asked to stay home. Bryan had a wide smile as he walked in line with other inmates being released Tuesday in Huntsville. At 9:15 p.m. on October 14, 1985, he spoke to his wife Mickey, also a school teacher in Clifton. Over the years, Joe has referred to Bryan as his brother, and the two have been close since the '90s Nonetheless, Callen and Rogan are not related. Joe Bryan’s zodiac sign is Virgo. Former Clifton principal Joe Bryan poses with his brother, James, (right) and his sister-in-law, Joretta, after his release from prison. 1996. "For us, it's a sign," Becky Bryan Levy said. Neither of those happened. Please subscribe to keep reading. “I think if I had admitted to it, I would have been out years ago,” he said. In November, Joe Bryan's defense team and the Bosque County District Attorney will present their final findings to Judge Doug Shaver. Joe’s mother, Rosa (Rose) Hoskins, was the sister of Grandpa’s father Thomas Franklin Hoskins. “Well, that is like telling a dog to stay out of the meat house.”. We've seen there's no way they don't know (what) the right thing to do is. The attorneys’ efforts also turned up a viable alternative suspect, who was not investigated by local law enforcement officials. Bryan’s first conviction was overturned on appeal. Freud, who spent thousands of hours with Reaves and the Innocence Project of Texas trying to prove Bryan’s innocence or, at the very least, win him a new trial, said there was no chance she and Bryan would be practicing safe distancing because of the COVID-19 outbreak. In their efforts to prove Bryan’s innocence, Reaves and Freud found experts who said Bryan’s trials were replete with errors, including the work of the ill-trained investigator who testified about blood-spatter evidence. Joe, who turns 80 this September, will be living with his older brother Jim and his sister-in-law Joretta in north Houston. Former Clifton principal Joe Bryan poses with his brother, James, (right) and his sister-in-law, Joretta, after his release from prison in March. “But because of his age and because of his health, obviously we are thrilled and grateful that he was released on parole. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. “It was like eating fine dining at a real restaurant because it all tasted so good. I'm not a lawyer, but my next hope is he'd get a new trial," Jim Bryan said. Dates of Virgo are August 23 - … "No faith at all, this was a railroad job in my mind. Bryan said he thinks he could have been paroled earlier if he had only told parole officials what they wanted to hear — that he killed his wife and that he is sorry and rehabilitated. She said that will not affect Bryan that much, because the prison fitted him with an ankle monitor and he possibly will be placed on house arrest at least during the early stages of his parole. Here is Joseph Brown Jr.’s obituary. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice reported only that Bryan’s parole was approved. Joe’s mother, Rosa (Rose) Hoskins, was the sister of Grandpa’s father Thomas Franklin Hoskins. Former Clifton principal Joe Bryan stands with his attorneys, Shea Place (left) and Jessi Freud (right) after his release from prison Tuesday. Bryan, who was wearing a prison-issued orange and blue plaid shirt, wrinkled khaki slacks and white tennis shoes, will live with his older brother, James, and his sister-in-law, Joretta, in Houston, Freud said. Sometime after Mr. Bryan returned from Austin, he let Ms. Bryan’s older brother, Charlie Blue, use his vehicle. Gabrielle "Gabby" Katherine (Meehan) Bryan, age 84, of Beaumont, Texas passed away on Monday, August 24, 2020. This is a very good day, and I am so thankful.”. It has been updated to include additional comments from Jeff Aiello received after deadline. We proved in a court of law that several people were not telling the truth and that others were wrong and that I was innocent, and they don’t want to admit that. Bryan was more than 100 miles away at an educators’ conference in Austin on the night his wife was shot and killed in the bedroom of their Clifton home. But I didn’t do it and I am not going to admit to something that I didn’t do. On Tuesday, Joe Bryan was released from prison after 33 years behind bars. Clouds Build Tonight before Rain Chances Return | Central Texas Forecast, 'Easter Bunny' delivers adorable gifts at Baylor Scott & White ahead of the holiday | Tiniest Texans, March Madness: What you need to know before Baylor Bears take on UH Coogs in Final Four Saturday, 2021 All-Star Game moved from Georgia in reaction to state's new voting law, Amazon apologizes to congressman for bogus 'peeing' tweet, Man rams car into 2 Capitol police; 1 officer, driver killed. Commentator for Ultimate Fighting Championship. ... Then Her Brother Found a Flashlight ... Joe was 120 miles away at … Bryan said he relied on his faith and his God-given positive attitude to survive decades of being locked up for a crime he says he did not commit. Joe Bryan was convicted of killing his wife, Mickey, in 1985. I have depended on Jesus Christ to comfort me and protect me, and he has done an amazing job of doing it. He was a former construction worker, a member of Friendship Baptist Church in Thomaston. Joe’s father, James W. Bryan was the brother of Grandpa’s mother Sarah Elizabeth Bryan. Prolific novelist John Grisham read Pamela Colloff’s compelling two-part series about former Clifton High School principal Joe Bryan challengi…, Former Clifton High School principal Joe Bryan has been approved for parole after more than three decades of asserting his innocence in the 19…, Former Clifton High School principal Joe Bryan has suffered another setback in his attempt to prove his innocence in the 1985 shooting death o…, Waco attorney Walter M. Reaves Jr. is known throughout Texas for his appellate skills. He played for the Philadelphia 76ers, San Diego Clippers, and Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Bryan, 79, who is suffering from congestive heart failure and a variety of related ailments, hugged his nieces Tuesday morning as they rushed up to him yelling, “Uncle Joe, Uncle Joe.”. "Finally people are seeing what we've been screaming silently for years and have been trying to get people to understand. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. His parents, Joseph Herman Bryan and Nellie Martin Bryan preceded him in death. In 1985 a Clifton, Texas High School Principal, Joe Bryan, was attending a conference in Austin with several other principals from around the state. Follow me on Twitter @TSpoonFeed. Bryan has never wavered in his innocence claims through two trials, multiple appeals and writ hearings at which the forensic expert who testified at Bryan’s trials in Bosque and Comanche counties admitted his conclusions were wrong. Former Clifton principal Joe Bryan poses with his brother, James, (right) and his sister-in-law, Joretta, after his release from prison.Â. Officials with the agency have declined to say whether health concerns with the COVID-19 pandemic or his declining health were factors in the decision. As they wait to find out Judge Doug Shaver's recommendation to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, they're appealing to Bosque County prosecutors. "We loved Mickey like she was family," they all said. “Being under house arrest with your family is still a lot better than being in prison,” Freud said. Yes, I was very angry and I was mad at God about it. “It was absolutely wonderful,” he said. “But then I got to the point where I just turned myself over to God. I have no faith in the criminal justice system in Texas now, nor the police, prosecutors or rangers," " Jim Bryan said. Bryan, now 78, suffers from serious health issues and, according to his brother, cannot walk 20 steps without resting because of his congestive heart failure. "The truth came out against him, it came out against him, but all we fought for was the truth.". After 35 years behind bars at the Walls Unit in Huntsville, Joe Bryan, a former principal at Clifton High School, will walk out of prison to the loving arms of his brother, James Bryan. She grew up mostly in Mexico City and Cuba. "The truth, all we ever wanted was the truth," Jim Bryan said. Mickey Bryan's 1985 murder rocked the small town of Clifton, Texas. They visit him about every six weeks and they speak on the phone regularly. He also played for several teams in Italy and one in France. For more than 30 years Jim Bryan and his family have stood by Joe Bryan. Bryan was sentenced to 99 years in prison in his wife’s death after his second trial in Comanche in 1989. To Jim, Joe Bryan's older brother, his sister-in-law Joretta, and his nieces Becky, Debbie, Cindy and Cathy, he is and always will be innocent. You can cancel at any time. Joe Bryan has not been exonerated, but there is good reason to believe he was wrongfully convicted of the 1985 murder of his wife, Mickey. Joe Bryan zodiac sign is a Virgo. Has … Before he was approved for parole earlier this month, Bryan had been denied parole seven times in the 1985 shooting death of his wife, Mickey, an elementary school teacher in Clifton. Please accept Echovita’s sincere condolences. He's always claimed he's innocent and his family has stood behind him. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Jessi and IPTX Deputy Director Allison Clayton, with assistance of Allison’s Innocence Clinic law students, will be petitioning the Supreme Court of … {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Capitol Police officer killed after suspect rams car into barrier, Man rams car into Capitol barrier, officer killed, Police Lt.: No need to improvise with knee on neck, Police: Mental illness behind NYC Asian attacks, Best-selling novelist John Grisham bases latest work on former Clifton High School principal's murder case, Former Clifton principal approved for parole after more than three decades in prison, State's high court rebuffs Clifton ex-principal's hearing request in 1985 murder case, Former Clifton principal still fighting conviction in wife's 1985 shooting death, Forensics commission questions blood-spatter evidence in 30-year-old Clifton murder case. Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, like his son, is a retired … Kobe said in … then {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}} per month. He quickly was greeted by two dozen family members, friends, supporters and his writ lawyers, Jessi Freud and Walter M. Reaves Jr., of Waco, and Shea Place, his parole attorney from Gatesville. She had moved there after Joe and his siblings — his older brother, James, and his twin brother, Jerry — left home and had remained after their father’s death. He has served 33 years in prison. "They've seen all the evidence. You have permission to edit this article. When Joe Bryan was arrested, charged, and then convicted of killing Mickey, they were even more shocked. Later that evening his … However, in 2013, the family had a huge falling out. You can be mad at the world every day and be hateful to everybody and be a very angry person or you can act like you are naturally,” he said. Genealogy profile for Joseph Bryan Joseph Bryan (1899 - 1979) - Genealogy Genealogy for Joseph Bryan (1899 - 1979) family tree on Geni, with over 200 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. Bryan was convicted twice despite having been at a conference 120 miles away at the time of the murder. Joe K. Bryan 94, of Uhrichsville, passed away Tuesday, February 16, 2021 in Community Hospice, Truman House at New Philadelphia, following a … I did 14 years extra. “You can do several things. He couldn't have done it," Jim Bryan said. Over the summer, Joe Bryan's defense team, led by lawyer Jessi Freud, got his case back to a Comanche courtroom and the family started feeling hopeful that the truth would come out. Joe Bryan is a former Clifton High School principal who was convicted of killing his wife, Mickey, in 1985. When is somebody going to make them do the right thing, and if it's not us then who?" Pam and Joe Bryant had three children together, son Kobe and daughters Sharia and Shaya. He's always claimed his innocence, and for all these years his family has stood behind him. He will be on parole the rest of his life. After 35 years behind bars at the Walls Unit in Huntsville, Joe Bryan, a former principal at Clifton High School, will walk out of prison to the loving arms of his brother, James Bryan. They shared a long hug, she said. Rogan explained in a radio interview that he refers to Callen as his "brother from another mother" to explain the close friendship they have. Former Clifton principal released after more than three decades in prison. Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever. Speaking by phone from his brother’s house in Houston, Bryan said his first meal outside of prison walls was a double-meat, bacon cheeseburger with french fries from Whataburger. When Mickey Bryan was murdered in 1985, this family was devastated. Joe was a member of the Masonic Lodge # 27 in Thomaston, John D. Gordon Lodge #1449, SCVMC. Joe Bryant Played For the San Diego Clippers. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. I turned everything over to him and I let him deal with it and he helped me get through it. He is the father of former Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. Joe’s father, James W. Bryan was the brother of Grandpa’s mother Sarah Elizabeth Bryan. The special prosecutor paid for by Mickey’s brother, Charlie … “Obviously, our preference and what we were hoping for was to exonerate Joe and have him come home under those circumstances,” Freud said. Joe Bryan was convicted of killing his wife, Mickey, in 1985. Former Clifton High School principal Joe Bryan hugs his older brother, James, Tuesday after his release from prison on parole. "It's not in his makeup to do what they said he did. "My hope is, my greatest hope is they'd just declare him innocent. Gabby was born November 25, 1935 in Mexico City, Mexico to Susana Romero Meehan and Joseph William Meehan. In 1852 George Caleb Bingham painted an epic portrait of Boone [clarification needed] escorting settlers through the Cumberland Gap. The most important thing was him not dying in a place where he never should have been, and with him being on parole, we at least know he is not going to die in prison.”. Freud and Reaves had hoped a retired judge who conducted the writ hearings in Comanche County in 2018 would determine Bryan to be innocent, or at the very least, recommend to the Court of Criminal Appeals that he deserved a new trial.