BIENDistrict Attorney Micheal Murray reported that on Thursday, February 20th, a Brown County jury convicted 38-year-old Michael Joseph Bien, of Attempted Capital Murder of Koh Box of Fort Worth, Texas and Criminal Solicitation of Capital Murder.  On Friday, February 21, 2014, Bien was sentenced to incarceration for two life sentences in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional Division.

District Attorney Micheal Murray and Assistant District Attorney Elisa Bird presented evidence during the eight day trial that on December 7, 2012, Bien attempted to hire a hit man to kill Bien’s former brother-in-law Koh Box.  Bien had contacted a former Brownwood resident, Mickey Westerman, to find a hit man to kill a member of the Box family in March of 2012.  Westerman and the Box family reported the threat to law enforcement.  Texas Rangers immediately began investigating the threat; however, the investigation was suspended while Bien was incarcerated for six months in Reeves County, Texas for assault family violence and terroristic threat.  Upon release from jail, Bien immediately called Westerman again to continue his plan to have a member of the Box family killed.  Texas Rangers arranged to have an undercover officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety pose as a hit man to meet with Bien.  During a recorded meeting, Bien paid $1,000 as a down payment to have Koh Box killed.

At Bien’s trial, defense attorney Jason Johnson relied on the theory of entrapment by the government to defend Bien’s actions.  However, Murray argued that the idea to kill Koh Box originated entirely with Michael Bien and that law enforcement merely provided Bien with an opportunity to commit the crime.  The jury was able to see and listen to recorded phone calls, text messages, and recorded meetings between Bien, Westerman and the undercover officer in evaluating Bien’s culpability.

The jury determined that Bien was responsible for his actions and that the Texas Rangers acted appropriately in conducting their investigation.  They jury then heard punishment evidence about Michael Bien’s history of domestic violence, rape, drug use, theft and threatening actions, as well as evidence of his previous convictions for assault family violence, resisting arrest, driving while intoxicated and terroristic threat.  The jury assessed a sentence of life in prison in each case.  Because the cases were tried at the same time, the sentences will run concurrently.