CBS 19 - The Eye of East Texas News - Rusk Co. Inmate Accidentally Released Turns Himself In

Rusk Co. Inmate Accidentally Released Turns Himself In

By Wilton Johnson

Brian Brown was allowed about five minutes to hug family before taken back into Rusk County Sheriff's custody. He then told CBS19 what he's been doing for the past 10 days.

"Tryin' to get my mind right, tryin' to get my mind right, relax," Brown said looking away from cameras.

He called his father today to pick him up in Nacogdoches to take him to Henderson where he could finally turn himself in. Along the way he called his attorney, Thad Davidson.

"I also called the FBI and told them where he was because I had a duty to do that and asked the FBI to put out a BOLO, which is a "be on the lookout" with local law enforcement in Nacogdoches so to peacefully gently intercept him, pick him up and put him in jail," Davidson said of the late afternoon turn of events.

Media reports of an armed and dangerous fugitive made Brown scared of police with itchy trigger fingers, another reason he turned himself in. But Sheriff Danny Pirtle remains elusive of the media after this jail house snafoo. He didn't report the accidental release until a week later and when he did, said nothing of how Brown came to be wanted. When media figured out the jail inadvertently turned him loose, a Sheriff's Office email pointed the finger at Judge Bob Richardson's office. CBS19 asked Pirtle's office today why he waited so long to notify the public of a loose fugitive and was told to fill out a Freedom of Information request, a form used to request official documents and evidence, not to get questions answered. CBS19 respectfully did so anyway, but has yet to hear from Sheriff Pirtle.

After a quick shoe check, Brown walked back into the building everyone but him knows he never should've left.

"Thought I was a free man, one day you're free, it's overwhelming."

We want to hear what you think.

Who do you think should be held responsible for Brian Kendrick Brown's accidental release?

Leave us your comments and we'll read some of your opinions back tonight on Ten @ 10.