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Connecticut lawyer guilty on all counts in murder-for-hire case

NEW LONDON, Connecticut -- A jury convicted lawyer Beth Carpenter Friday on all counts stemming from the 1994 murder-for-hire of her brother-in-law, a killing prosecutors say effectively ended a bitter child custody battle.

Carpenter, 38, sobbed quietly and clutched a tissue as jury foreman Edwin Perez announced at 12:30 p.m. that she was guilty of capital felony, murder, and conspiracy to commit murder.

Carpenter's brother-in-law, Anson "Buzz" Clinton III, was shot to death in March 1994, by a drug dealer hired by Carpenter's then boss and lover.

EXTRA INFORMATION Court TV's complete coverage of the Carpenter trial

Dee Clinton, the mother of the 28-year-old victim, broke into a wide smile as the verdict was announced. Suzanne Clinton, 11 at the time of her brother's murder, clutched another family member and began crying.

Jurors decided as a group not to comment about the deliberation, and left the courthouse escorted by marshals who held reporters at bay.

Carpenter's defense lawyer, Hugh Keefe, folded his arms and stared down each juror as they were polled to confirm their guilty verdicts. Defense lawyer Tara Knight hugged Carpenter, who continued to sob.

The prosecution argued during the two-month trial that Carpenter persuaded Haiman Clein to hire used-car-dealer and hitman, Mark Despres, to shoot Clinton five times at close range on the shoulder of a highway offramp.

Clein testified that Carpenter told him within two months of the beginning of their affair in 1993 that Clein would kill Clinton if he really loved her.

Carpenter wanted Clinton dead, according to witnesses, because she feared that Clinton, who was married to her sister, planned to adopt her niece, Rebecca, and move his family to Arizona. Carpenter and her parents were very close to the child, now 11, and believed Clinton may have been abusing her.

The defense tried unsuccessfully to paint Clein, an admitted cocaine addict who used law clients' funds to pay for the killing, made up all of his testimony against Carpenter because she led police to him in 1995.

Clein, 61, faces up to 45 years in prison when he is sentenced later this year for his role in the crime.

The defense argued that Clein's testimony should not be believed, noting that he avoided the potential of the death penalty by turning state's evidence.

Keefe argued that Clein was so obsessed with Carpenter, a woman 22 years younger than he, that Clein took it upon himself to have Clinton killed so that Carpenter would be indebted to him.

"We were disappointed, obviously," he said after the verdict. "Beth was devastated, but this case is far from over. We have some excellent appellate issues, we explained that to the family and that's where we are at."

Asked if he regretted putting Carpenter on the stand, Keefe said "I wouldn't change a thing I did."

Co-defense counsel, Tara Knight, said she was surprised by the jury's verdict. "They must have believed Haiman Clein," she said. "I am tremendously disappointed by that judgment. It is clear he's a liar.

Prosecutor Kevin Kane said he believed the jury was "very conscientious. They were conscientious and good people. I wouldn't comment beyond that. At the end of the day the jury says only one word or two words [guilty or not guilty]"

Speaking to reporters outside the New London Superior Court, the victim's family said they felt justice was served. "I am happy. I am a proud mom," Dee Clinton said. "I am proud of my family. I am proud of the system." Suzanne Clinton, 19, said her tears were tears of joy.

"From what was presented in the court, I felt as if the jury would find her guilty. But in those moments before the verdict was announced, my heart was pounding," Suzanne Clinton said.

A spectator in the courtroom for almost all of the testimony said she believed that Carpenter convicted herself when she testified. "Her inability to recall was detrimental. She kept saying 'I don't recall. I don't recall,'" said Kelley MaCombe, of Norwich, Connecticut, who did not know any of the parties to the case. "I was definitely not surprised by the verdict."

Carpenter's mother and father, Cynthia and Richard Carpenter of Ledyard, Connecticut, were distraught over the verdict and were escorted into a conference room. Dee Clinton said something to Mrs. Carpenter as she passed and marshals separated the families.

Judge Robert Devlin, Jr. ordered Carpenter held without bail pending sentencing on June 28.