Brendon Owen’s Bail Denied Again on Murder Charge

Above, a screenshot of Brendon Owen testifying via Zoom from Norfolk County Jail.

Thursday afternoon at Norfolk Superior Court, former Franklin resident Brendon Owen appeared before Judge Joseph Leighton in a hearing regarding his request to be allowed to make bail. Owen was arrested in December of 2021 in the murder of his ex-wife, Shirley Branco and an assault on his mother in law as well as arson of the home he formerly shared with Branco

More recently, Owen was charged with violating a court order and attempting to contact his daughter, the younger of the couple’s two children

Attorney Neil Madden spoke on his behalf in the courtroom, summarizing the background starting with the 1996 marriage of Branco and Owen, their respective work, both as professionals in financial services and the subsequent birth of their two children. During this time, they resided in Taunton.

Madden said the relationship had been good but that Owen had bonded with the children more than had Branco, hinting that this was a source of resentment. He mentioned having seen family videos of the father and son hiking and skiing together, though he did say Owen’s relationship with his daughter was not as well established. Branco took a job in Franklin to work at EMC in 2014 and persuaded Owen to move to a new home in Franklin, which he did. Then according to Madden, Owen was hit with a restraining order seemingly asserting that he had abused the children. He was forced to move from the family home and, according to Madden, did not subsequently see the children nor was he allowed to contact them.

In November of 2021, again according to Madden, the couple’s oldest child, a son, then 15, contacted Owen and expressed his affection and desire to see him. However, after a few weeks of furtive communication, Branco “caught” the son talking to the father and “screamed” at him, allegedly telling the son, now she would have his father arrested....and indeed that process was initiated.

It was subsequent to these events that the violent events of December 2021 unfolded.

Madden said none of this information by itself changes the facts but he did say, Owen had no previous troubles with the law and was a respected professional. He said Owen being able to further illuminate the background of the case would help the doctors better characterize Owen for his defense to a jury.

And, Madden asserted that Owen would not be a flight risk and out of jail would be better able to communicate to potential witnesses who might be able to further clarify the background of the case.

The Judge listened carefully and also took comments from the prosecution before denying the motion and noting that he concurred with his predecessor past rulings denying bail in the case, Judge Wilkins, who recently retired.

Madden did secure permission to access the Franklin Police interview with Owen's children on the condition that neither prosecution nor defense make the contents public.

The court and prosecution also raised the matter of Owen allegedly having contacted his daughter, whom the prosecution said had indicated she did not wish to be contacted. Owen pled not guilty and, though Madden proposed a bail figure of $100 in that matter, the prosecution convinced the judge to set it at $10,000.

There were additional matters that could not be resolved in the hearing, mostly regarding the conditions under which Owen is being held. The Prosecution asked for an additional hearing later in the month when the superintendent from the Norfolk County Jail can attend and testify The judge left it up to the parties to determine a workable date and finalize that with the court.