should I contact H's estranged brother?

Just a long story short, MIL and H's dad divorced when H was about 3 months old.  H never had many relations with his dad except 1 visit the whole time until he turned 18.  FIL did have another child, a boy, after his marriage to MIL.  Well, 6 months ago that son, H's half brother, called MIL and wanted to contact H to tell him their father was dying.  I was there listening to MIL's end of the conversation and she was pretty hostile towards the boy, now a man (which I thought was unnecessary).  She did tell H but she said the only time they ever call is when they want something and pretty much scared H off from contacting him. 

I know why MIL has hard feelings toward her ex-husband and is very much warranted because he beat her pretty bad and supposedly even shot at her.  But, I am thinking, well it isn't the son's fault.  He cannot help who his dad is anymore than H can. 

So, I was nosing around myspace and I thought well lets see.  I did find H's brother, at least I think.  Right town, right age, looks very similar to H, same interests as H. Names of friends match what I know of him.  H mentioned that he should have contacted the guy when their dad died but he just didn't get the nerve.  I asked if he wanted me to e-mail him and H said no, he should have done it back then and too late now.

But, the curiosity is really getting the better of me.  The unknown family of H's, part of my kids family.  Would contacting this person to satisfy my curiosity be a bad idea or should I just stick with my original plan and leave it up to H and resist? 

TIA