I have been asked to write an update about the Annie Le saga. What’s going on is that the arrest and search warrants remain sealed. What’s interesting is that, not only is Ray Clark’s public defender arguing that they should be sealed because it was interfere with his right to a fair trial, but Annie Le’s family also wants them to remain sealed. This makes me think, perhaps, that the warrant contains information about Annie that would taint her memory.
The Yale Daily News reports:
Ira Grudberg ’55 LAW ’60, a trial lawyer at the firm of Jacobs, Grudberg, Belt, Dow & Katz on Orange Street, said court records usually do not remain sealed for this long.
Grudberg and New Haven defense attorney Paul Carty both said it was unusual for the family to get involved in this kind of issue. As a result, the family’s request will probably have weight with the judge, Grudberg said.
What’s in there that everyone want hidden? Undoubtedly, juicy stuff that would make Ray appear more guilty but which would also embarrass the Le family.
Another possibility: the warrants contain gruesome descriptions of the crime, and the family would prefer they be kept from public disclosure out of a sense of decency. Would *you* want the explicit details of a family member's violent death made public? Unsealing the warrants would satisfy public curiosity but otherwise would not serve any valid purpose.
Peter
Posted by: ironrailsironweights.wordpress.com | October 23, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Man I cant wait for the "Half Sigma- For the Defense" movie.
District Attorney: Objection your honor! This is the third time opposing console has tried to cite GeneExpressions as settled law and now he is badgering the witness with this line of questioning.
Judge: Overruled. Consul, I'll allow it for now, but this fishing expedition had better be going somewhere.
HS [cooly]: Thank you, Your Honor. I can assure the court that my methods with be clear soon. Now Dean Miller, you were aware that Mr. Clark had 7 out of 9 prole indicators that the time he was hired at Yale.
Dean Miller: Thats the type of personnel matter that usually doesnt come to the attention of ....
HS [Brandishes a copy of "Caste Marks: Style and Status in the USA"]: Are you familiar with this author?
Dean Miller: Well strictly speaking the University of Pennsylvania, while very fine, is not an Ivy League university so I really couldn't...
Judge: Where is this going consul?
HS: Simply this! I have here an eHarmony study showing Asian women, especially those Asian-Americans, are most like to date out side their race. As Steve Sailor has demonstrated there is a high prole/Asian affinity and especially more so in a work place situation. All of this should have been well know to Yale and Dean Miller. They created this situation not my client!
Posted by: Turambar | October 23, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Rather like Obama's long form birth certificate, the records may contain information that is embarrassing or hurtful in some way.
Posted by: dearieme | October 23, 2009 at 03:47 PM
Yet another possibility: Ms Le is the child of Vietnamese immigrants (IIRC), and it's entirely possible there are things in the records that her family regards as horribly embarrassing or shameful that non-immigrants would shrug off or not even notice.
Posted by: J1 | October 23, 2009 at 09:34 PM