Former Branford resident Raymond Clark III took responsibility for the sexual assault and murder of Yale doctoral student Annie Le in 2009, just before he received a 44-year prison sentence in New Haven Superior Court Friday.
The slain medical researcher’s parents and other close relatives made emotional statements prior to the sentencing, sometimes choking up tearfully before struggling to continue.
Although some members of the victim’s family felt Clark should have received a life sentence, Superior Court Judge Roland Fasano said the sentence would guarantee a conviction and spare both Le’s and Clark’s families the need to relive the crime in a public courtroom.
