John L. Brownlee
Encyclopedia
John L. Brownlee is a former United States Attorney
for the Western District of Virginia
and a former Republican
candidate for the office of Attorney General of Virginia
.
. His father, Les Brownlee
, was a decorated Army officer and Vietnam veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart and two Silver Stars. Brownlee's father retired in 2004 as the acting Secretary of the Army.
Brownlee attended Robinson Secondary School
in Fairfax County, where he was a member of the National Honor Society
and received three varsity letters in football. After high school, Brownlee attended Washington and Lee University
in Lexington, Virginia
, on an ROTC scholarship. At Washington and Lee, Brownlee received a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Accounting, earned three varsity letters in football, and earned honors as a military graduate. As a young military officer, he volunteered for the Infantry and successfully graduated from the Army’s Airborne and Ranger schools.
He received his J.D. degree from the College of William and Mary
in 1994.
In January 2005, Brownlee prosecuted defendant Brent Simmons for the 1996 murders of two James Madison University students. Simmons had traveled from Florida to Harrisonburg and then shot and killed the two students. After a mistrial in state court, Brownlee developed a novel legal theory by using the Violence Against Women Act
, which had been enacted only 13 days before Simmons killed the students, to bring the case into federal court. The jury convicted the defendant of both murders, and the judge sentenced Simmons to life imprisonment with no chance of parole.
Two years later, Brownlee prosecuted an inmate for committing a violent prison murder. The jury imposed the death penalty, the first death penalty conviction in the Western District of Virginia since 1988.
In May 2007, after a five year investigation, Brownlee and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell
jointly prosecuted the maker of the pain medication OxyContin for intentionally mis-branding their drug. The corporation and three executives plead guilty to mis-branding OxyContin and paid over $634 million in fines.
At the first trial in December 2002, the jury was unable to reach a verdict, with a majority of the jurors convinced of Burrow's innocence, but several equally convinced of his guilt. The judge declared a mistrial. The US Attorney's office failed to obtain a retrial within the 70 days limit however, Brownlee, who was then on active duty in the Army, announced his office would seek an indictment against Burrow on new charges.
A year after the first trial had ended, Brownlee sought a new indictment and Burrow went to trial a second time over essentially the same charges. Once again, the jury was unable to come to a verdict, with the majority finding Burrow not-guilty. The second trial was also declared a mistrial. Brownlee then dropped the case.
. He testified before the Senate that his placement on the list was related to his refusal of a request by his superiors at the DOJ to delay settlement of the Purdue Pharma case in 2006.
. At the May 30, 2009 Republican Convention he yielded the nomination to Ken Cuccinelli
.
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the Western District of Virginia
United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia
The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia is a United States district court.Appeals from the Western District of Virginia are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia (in...
and a former Republican
Republican Party of Virginia
The Republican Party of Virginia is the Virginia chapter of the Republican Party. It is based in the Richard D. Obenshain Center in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia.- Organization and candidate selection :The State Party Plan...
candidate for the office of Attorney General of Virginia
Attorney General of Virginia
The Attorney General of Virginia is an executive office in the Government of Virginia. Attorneys General are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election . There are no term limits restricting the number of terms someone can serve as Attorney General...
.
Personal
Brownlee's mother served as a public school teacher for over 40 years – the last 17 in Fairfax County, VirginiaFairfax County, Virginia
Fairfax County is a county in Virginia, in the United States. Per the 2010 Census, the population of the county is 1,081,726, making it the most populous jurisdiction in the Commonwealth of Virginia, with 13.5% of Virginia's population...
. His father, Les Brownlee
Les Brownlee
Romie Leslie "Les" Brownlee served as the Acting United States Secretary of the Army from 10 May 2003 until his resignation effective 2 December 2004....
, was a decorated Army officer and Vietnam veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart and two Silver Stars. Brownlee's father retired in 2004 as the acting Secretary of the Army.
Brownlee attended Robinson Secondary School
Robinson Secondary School
James W. Robinson, Jr. Secondary School, known as Robinson Secondary School, opened in 1971, is a public school in the Commonwealth of Virginia....
in Fairfax County, where he was a member of the National Honor Society
National Honor Society
The National Honor Society is a recognition program for high school students in grades 10-12 in the United States and in several other countries...
and received three varsity letters in football. After high school, Brownlee attended Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
in Lexington, Virginia
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
, on an ROTC scholarship. At Washington and Lee, Brownlee received a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Accounting, earned three varsity letters in football, and earned honors as a military graduate. As a young military officer, he volunteered for the Infantry and successfully graduated from the Army’s Airborne and Ranger schools.
He received his J.D. degree from the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
in 1994.
U.S. Attorney
In 2001, President Bush appointed Brownlee as United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia.In January 2005, Brownlee prosecuted defendant Brent Simmons for the 1996 murders of two James Madison University students. Simmons had traveled from Florida to Harrisonburg and then shot and killed the two students. After a mistrial in state court, Brownlee developed a novel legal theory by using the Violence Against Women Act
Violence Against Women Act
The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 is a United States federal law. It was passed as Title IV, sec. 40001-40703 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, , and signed as by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994...
, which had been enacted only 13 days before Simmons killed the students, to bring the case into federal court. The jury convicted the defendant of both murders, and the judge sentenced Simmons to life imprisonment with no chance of parole.
Two years later, Brownlee prosecuted an inmate for committing a violent prison murder. The jury imposed the death penalty, the first death penalty conviction in the Western District of Virginia since 1988.
In May 2007, after a five year investigation, Brownlee and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell
Bob McDonnell
Robert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...
jointly prosecuted the maker of the pain medication OxyContin for intentionally mis-branding their drug. The corporation and three executives plead guilty to mis-branding OxyContin and paid over $634 million in fines.
D-Day Memorial prosecution
One of his first cases as United States Attorney was the twice-unsuccessful prosecution of Richard Burrow, the former President of the D-Day Memorial Foundation, for alleged bank fraud in raising funds for construction of the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia.At the first trial in December 2002, the jury was unable to reach a verdict, with a majority of the jurors convinced of Burrow's innocence, but several equally convinced of his guilt. The judge declared a mistrial. The US Attorney's office failed to obtain a retrial within the 70 days limit however, Brownlee, who was then on active duty in the Army, announced his office would seek an indictment against Burrow on new charges.
A year after the first trial had ended, Brownlee sought a new indictment and Burrow went to trial a second time over essentially the same charges. Once again, the jury was unable to come to a verdict, with the majority finding Burrow not-guilty. The second trial was also declared a mistrial. Brownlee then dropped the case.
Acting as US Attorney while on active duty
In the midst of the Burrow prosecution, Brownlee was called to active duty for one year with his Army Reserve Unit as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Brownlee continued to act as United States Attorney from his duty station at Fort Eustis, Virginia. causing the Roanoke Times to inquire of the Justice Department whether Brownlee's dual service violated federal laws and DOD regulations prohibiting political and law enforcement activity by active duty personnel. Brownlee gave several press conferences about the Burrow case from Fort Eustis, and also returned to Roanoke to sign an indictment. After the press inquiries, the Justice Department requested that the Army release John Brownlee from active duty. He was released after only three months on duty, while his unit continued to serve out their one year tour.U.S. Attorney firings
Brownlee was included on the list of the second set of U.S. attorneys who were to be controversially fired in 2006Dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy
The dismissal of U.S. Attorneys controversy was initiated by the unprecedented midterm dismissal of seven United States Attorneys on December 7, 2006 by the George W. Bush administration's Department of Justice. Congressional investigations focused on whether the Department of Justice and the White...
. He testified before the Senate that his placement on the list was related to his refusal of a request by his superiors at the DOJ to delay settlement of the Purdue Pharma case in 2006.
Brownlee not selected for federal judgeship
In 2007, Brownlee sought nomination to a vacant seat on the Federal Court in Eastern District of Virginia. However his bid was derailed when he received "lukewarm" or no endorsements from Virginia state and local bar associations.2009 elections
In 2008, Brownlee announced that he was running for Attorney General of VirginiaAttorney General of Virginia
The Attorney General of Virginia is an executive office in the Government of Virginia. Attorneys General are elected for a four-year term in the year following a presidential election . There are no term limits restricting the number of terms someone can serve as Attorney General...
. At the May 30, 2009 Republican Convention he yielded the nomination to Ken Cuccinelli
Ken Cuccinelli
Kenneth Thomas 'Ken' Cuccinelli II is a U.S. politician and the Attorney General of Virginia. From 2002 until January 16, 2010 he was a Republican member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 37th district in Fairfax County...
.