Uma Ramiah Photo
Too often, Truong Van Bui closes his eyes and pictures Annie Le’s fatal final encounter with Raymond Clark.
“It has been all too painful to imagine the suffering and the desperation of her thoughts and feeling at the moment of her tragedy,” said Bui, sobbing as he recounted the grief that has haunted his niece’s family since her murder in September 2009.
On Friday, Bui and several other relatives sat down at the prosecution table in Courtroom 6A in state Superior Court on Church Street and told their stories.
Officially, they were speaking to Judge Roland D. Fasano. But the messages were aimed at Clark, whom Fasano sentenced Friday to 44 years in prison for murder and attempted sexual assault.
Le was a 24-year-old Yale pharmacology student, only days away from her wedding. Clark, now 26, was a co-worker, cleaning mouse cages in a laboratory building at 10 Amistad St. He strangled her, then stuffed her body inside a wall in the basement of the building.
Exactly what led to the killing, which rocked the campus and the city, remains unknown. Clark apologized during his own court statement Friday, but offered no motive or explanation for what happened.
The juxtaposition of two grieving families made for a dramatic encounter punctuated with muffled sobs.
Le’s family, including her fiance, Jonathan Widawsky, filled benches behind the prosecutors.
Opposite them, behind Clark and his lawyers, sat his parents and his own fiancee, Jennifer Hromadka.
Uma Ramiah Photo
Vivian Le (pictured), Annie’s mother, spoke first. Her voice quavered as she described her deep grief at knowing her daughter’s promise won’t be fulfilled, and that she’ll never hold Annie’s child.
“I will never see all of Annie’s dreams come true,” Vivian Le said. “Her future is gone; her life is gone … Our family has lost a beautiful soul.”
Annie’s father, Hoang Le, tried to read his own statement, but was overcome. A victim’s advocate finished the job, offering his thanks to those who had consoled the family in their devastation. He also expressed hope that Yale’s security measures, for both students and campus workers, would be tightened as a result of his daughter’s death.
Annie Le.
“Please pray for Annie’s peaceful rest, and that justice will be served,” Hoang Le’s statement said.
Clark’s 44-year sentence came as part of a March plea bargain. He also received a concurrent 20-year term for attempted sexual assault.
Before making the sentence official, Fasano said the case was devastating to contemplate.
“Both families are innocent,” he said.
Some of Le’s relatives said that no punishment would be true justice, but 44 years was far from enough.
Another relative said in a statement read in court that the killing was premeditated, not a random act, and that the sentence “further denigrated and defiled” Le’s life.
“At the very least, I wish to ask this court to sentence Raymond Clark to forfeit every day of his natural life, as Annie did at his hands, and nothing less, in prison,” Tuyet Bui’s statement said.
Le’s body was found the day she was to be married. Several family members spoke Friday about how their joyous travel plans turned into a pilgrimage made in horror.
Annie Le’s brother, Chris, said he was lost after his sister’s murder, and it has taken him nearly two years to find himself again.
“Maybe I will never really know what value life has, but I have gained a profound appreciation for the effect a human life can have on another individual,” he said. “My only wish is that Raymond Clark realizes the totality of his actions and how many different people he has hurt through taking a life in cold blood.”
Clark, wearing a light-blue shirt and black pants, watched each of Le’s relatives come forward to speak, occasionally dabbing at his eyes with a tissue or rubbing the bridge of his nose. When it was time for him to talk, he sniffled, wiped away tears, and seemed to struggle a bit to compose himself.
Reading from a statement handwritten in black pen on lined notebook paper, Clark said he had tried to be a good son, a good person, to stay out of trouble. But, he said, he failed.
Le was a wonderful person, Clark said — better than he will ever be.
“I’m sorry I lied. I’m sorry I ruined lives. And I’m truly, truly sorry I took Annie’s life,” Clark said, his voice husky with emotion.
Clark’s father, Raymond Clark Jr., spoke just before his son. He expressed sympathy for the Le family.
“The grief and tears we shed are equal for your family, as well as ours,” he said.
Uma Ramiah Photo
Outside the courthouse, Vivian Le stood silently as family attorney Joe Tacopina spoke to the crush of gathered news media.
Behind her, on the steps, stood other family members, including Widawsky.
They didn’t speak. They’d already said what they had come to say.
Previous coverage of the Annie Le case:
March 17, 2011
• Clark To Get 44 Years For Killing Annie Le
June 16, 2010
Family Stands By Annie Le Murder Suspect
March 15, 2010
Warrant: Why Cops Sought Saliva Sample From Annie Le’s Alleged Killer’s Fiancee
March 9, 2010
Final Annie Le Warrant To Be Unsealed On Monday
March 3, 2010
Judge Plans To Unseal Final Annie Le Warrant
Tuesday, Jan. 26
• Annie Le’s Alleged Killer Pleads Not Guilty
Wednesday, Dec. 2
• Annie Le Warrants: Blood Found In Kitchen, Car
Tuesday, Nov. 17
• Seal Extended On Annie Le Warrants
Friday, Nov. 13
• Annie Le Warrant: Bloody Boots Read “Ray‑C”
Friday, Nov. 6
• Annie Le Documents To Be Unsealed
Tuesday, Nov. 3
• Hearing Continued For Annie Le Suspect; Judge Will Rule By Week’s End On Warrants: Live Blog
Tuesday, Oct. 20
• Annie Le Suspect Enters No Plea; Warrants Remain Sealed
Tuesday, Oct. 6
• Live Blog: Lawyer For Annie Le Murder Suspect Wants To See The Evidence
Friday, Sept. 25
• Warrant In Annie Le Murder To Stay Sealed
Thursday, Sept. 24
• Cops Back At Annie Le’s Lab Building
Monday, Sept. 21
• What Annie Le Story?
• Public Defender: I Don’t Want Annie Le Reporters Investigated
Thursday, Sept. 17
• After Annie Le Murder, Union Chief Sends Rallying Call
• Annie Le Suspect Knew Cops Were On His Tail
• Cops Arrest Lab Tech In Annie Le Murder
• Suspect Arraigned (live blog)
Wednesday, Sept. 16:
• Ex-Girlfriend “Shocked” About Annie Le Target
• Cops Stake Out Annie Le Target’s Motel
• Annie Le Case: It’s Coming Down To The DNA
• Annie Le Was Strangled
Tuesday, Sept. 15:
• City, Yale Learned From Jovin In Annie Le Case
• Suspect In Annie Le Case Has Fiancee
• NBC Producer Trampled At Annie Le “Briefing”
• Cops Take DNA From Annie Le Target
• Was That Annie Le’s Killer?
Monday, Sept. 14:
• Body Identified As Annie Le
• “Serious” Suspect In Annie Le Case
• You Can Get In The Wall With A “Butter Knife”
• Lab Building Shuts Down
Sunday, Sept. 13:
• Remains Of Annie Le Believed Found; “A Time For Compassion,” Levin Says
• Annie Le Hunt Extends To Hartford
Saturday, Sept. 12
• Focus In Annie Le Probe Less On “State Lines”
Friday, Sept. 11, 2009
• City Cops Join Search For Annie Le; $10,000 Reward Posted