[1] Born March 13, 1923, in Ossining, New York, Brieant served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946.

He was an assistant counsel for the New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Fire Insurance in 1968.

His wife ate several of the candies, and became violently ill. Investigation determined that the chocolates had been sent by John Buettner-Janusch, the former chairman of the New York University (NYU) Anthropology Department, who had been sentenced to prison by Brieant after being convicted of making illegal drugs.

For many years, Brieant displayed in his judicial chambers a painted portrait of Judge Martin Manton, a former Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit who was convicted and imprisoned for accepting bribes from litigants.

When asked why he had rescued the portrait of the disgraced Manton from obscurity and given it a prominent place in his chambers, Brieant would tell visitors that the painting was a reminder of the fallibility of judges.