Lab tech charged with Yale grad student's murder

[one...two...tree 2,762]

By RAY HENRY and MICHAEL HILL Associated Press Writer

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Raymond Clark III appeared in court and was charged with murder Thursday hours after his arrest in the killing of a graduate student whose body was found stuffed in the wall of the research building where they both worked. Raymond Clark III, 24, kept his head bowed during the three-minute appearance in the death of Annie Le, also 24. He didn't enter a plea and said, "Yes, your honor," when asked whether he understood his rights. The judge then set bail at $3 million and sent him to a holding cell.

New Haven Police Chief James Lewis said Le's death was a case of workplace violence and elaborated little except to say reports that the two had a romantic relationship were untrue "to my knowledge."

"It is important to note that this is not about urban crime, university crime, domestic crime but an issue of workplace violence, which is becoming a growing concern around the country," Lewis said, adding he wasn't ruling out additional charges.

Clark's attorney, David Dworski, did not return calls seeking comment. He has said Clark was "committed to proceeding appropriately" with police.

Clark was arrested earlier Thursday at a Super 8 hotel in Cromwell, about 25 miles north of the Ivy League campus, where he got a room shortly after being released from police questioning in Le's death.

Le was found dead on Sunday, her body hidden in the basement wall of a building where she worked as a medical researcher, on the day she was to marry her college sweetheart, Columbia University graduate student Jonathan Widawsky. The Connecticut medical examiner said Wednesday that Le died of "traumatic asphyxiation."

Clark was under constant surveillance after he was released, and police spent Wednesday night and Thursday morning staking out the Super 8 hotel where Clark was staying.

Shortly after 8 a.m. Thursday, police moved closer, shutting down the highway outside the hotel and blocking the road leading into the hotel as they made the arrest. Clark was wearing a white shirt with tan stripes and tan pants as police ushered him into the back of a dark sedan with tinted windows. The car then sped off toward the highway, and arrived at the New Haven police department about an hour later.

Richard Levin, the president of Yale, released a statement shortly after the arrest, saying Clark's employment history gave no indication he was capable of such a crime.

"This incident could have happened in any city, in any university, or in any workplace. It says more about the dark side of the human soul than it does about the extent of security measures," Levin said in a message sent to the Yale community.

The family of Le's finace, Jonathan Widawsky, said Thursday that they would not attend services for the "foreseeable future" at their temple on New York's Long Island.

They said they want to "facilitate the safety, security and sensitivity" of services at Temple Beth El.

The family also thanked people who were involved in preparations for "a wedding that was not to be."

Clark's next court date is Oct. 6.

http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/us/2009/09/1...ling/index.html

[Peikko 1,575]

What is this 'workplace crime' euphemism?

[Teacher Mark 53]

I wonder if there are any laws in place that would protect Yale if it were an act of workplace violence?

[almaty 19]

allot of states have laws in this area...ct. i do not know

[Nik+Heather 122]

I never thought about there being laws regarding liability if it was "workplace violence" or not...I thought they were just indicating that it wasn't just a random act, but carried out by someone who knew her and interacted with her every day -- which is a bit more chilling...for her, but makes the rest of the public feel better as it wasn't a random target (ie "you could be next").

[Chica Yeyé 41]

This is so fvcked up. ---the loss of the girl.

the chopfvck.... well... what can I tell you.

Edited September 17, 2009 by *Len*

[Minya's wife 25]

I wonder if there are any laws in place that would protect Yale if it were an act of workplace violence?

Protect Yale from what? Like if the girls family want to sue Yale for failing to protect the life of their loved one? Who gives a $hit if Yale (one of the premier universities in the country) has to shell out some money in compensation? It still does not undo the horrific crime, return life to this poor girl and two families are still destroyed.

Edited September 17, 2009 by Minya's wife

[HAL 9000 96]

Really a tragedy for the girl and her loved ones...

And a lab tech... wow. Some pretty weird characters in that line of work.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Really a tragedy for the girl and her loved ones...

And a lab tech... wow. Some pretty weird characters in that line of work.

Do expand....

I am so going to follow this. Yesterday a dude from the local news channel was saying there were some emails in the girl's account from someone who was calling her ugly names because she was not treating the mice labs properly, bla bla bla. If this turns out to be some mice lover nutso... huhuhu.

[Teacher Mark 53]

I wonder if there are any laws in place that would protect Yale if it were an act of workplace violence?

Protect Yale from what? Like if the girls family want to sue Yale for failing to protect the life of their loved one? Who give$ a ###### if Yale (one of the premier universities in the country) has to shell out some money in compensation? It still does not undo the horrific crime, return life to this poor girl and two families are still destroyed.

I surely hope you are not lecturing me. I've personally known 3 people that were murdered, including a 7 year old classmate, so I know a little about loss. I'm only theorizing as to why they would label it workplace violence.

Edited September 17, 2009 by Mr. Saigon

[HAL 9000 96]

Really a tragedy for the girl and her loved ones...

And a lab tech... wow. Some pretty weird characters in that line of work.

Do expand....

I am so going to follow this. Yesterday a dude from the local news channel was saying there were some emails in the girl's account from someone who was calling her ugly names because she was not treating the mice labs properly, bla bla bla. If this turns out to be some mice lover nutso... huhuhu.

Memories... I remember one dude that worked on prions (mad cow) and ended up in a psych ward for a couple of weeks. Everyone blamed the lab manager.

Its bad enough that she was murdered... but by some PETA-like freak? My goodness. If that's the case universities will have to start doing background checks on its lab workers.

That does remind me of one of my favorite Onion articles of all time:

<h2 class="section_title">Science & Technology</h2> google_channel = 'Science & Technology'; google_type = 'onion_news'; <h2 class="title">World's Scientists Admit They Just Don't Like Mice</h2> December 8, 2004 | Issue 40•49

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND—Nearly 700 scientists representing 27 countries convened at the University of Zurich Monday to formally announce that their experimentation on mice has been motivated not by a desire to advance human knowledge, but out of sheer distaste for the furry little rodents.

"As a man of science, I deal with facts, and the fact is that mice are gross," said Dr. Douglas White, chair of the Oxford biogenetics department and lifelong mouse-hater. "They're squirmy, scurrying little vermin, and they make my skin crawl. I speak for all of my assembled colleagues when I say that the horrible little things deserve the worst we can dish out."

According to a 500-word statement, scientists hate mice for "their beady little eyes," "their repulsive tails," and "the annoying little squeaking sounds they make."

At the press conference, several scientists detailed their involvement in the centuries-long ruse of "conducting experiments" and "curing diseases."

"For years, I've used lab mice to research cell breakdown in living tissue—and I've been lucky enough to make some pretty important medical advancements along the way," said researcher Ellen Gresham of the Harvard Institute for Advanced Studies. "But even if there were no scientific benefit to the work I do, I'd still experiment on mice, just to watch them suffer."

"The truth is, mice are particularly ill-suited for our tissue study," Gresham added. "We could construct a computer model that would yield more accurate results, but we don't care."

According to Gresham, scientists have enjoyed dissolving mice in acid, spinning them in centrifuges, blowing them up in vacuum chambers, and forcing them to navigate exit-free mazes for years—all the while towering above them, laughing.

"Every high-pitched squeak from the holding area is a warm reminder that the mice desperately want to escape," said Dr. Frances Villalobos, a contagious-disease researcher at the University of Mexico. "All they want to do is get out from behind those bars so they can chew on everything, defecate all over, and poke their filthy twitching faces into piles of garbage. Well, I know of at least 80 little test subjects who won't be doing any more of that. They're headed straight for the dissection lab."

Villalobos said he spent six months writing a grant proposal that provided him with funding to inject mice with the smallpox virus.

"It kills me that I can't infect the control group," Villalobos said. "Unfortunately, if I infect them, I'll throw off my results. But once I complete this experiment, I'll rotate the control group into the hot seat. Don't you worry. They'll get what's coming to them."

After applauding the scientists for coming forward, anthropologist Brent Wrigley suggested that the hatred of mice may be the single most important factor in the evolution of modern science.

"Despising mice may have pushed humanity out of the Stone Age," Wrigley said. "After all, the cave habitats of early man must have been infested with the horrific little monsters. The entire history of human advancement via the scientific method may be a byproduct of the higher forebrain's natural revulsion toward the nasty critters."

Mouse-killing isn't solely the province of organic and medical scientists. Many other scientists kill mice, as well.

"As a physicist, I don't really have much cause to use mice in my regular research, which mostly requires the use of theoretical math," said Dr. Thomas Huber, author of the 1996 study Mouse Elasticity And Kinetic Rebound In High-Acceleration Collisions. "But when I have the time, I like to send them flying into walls. Even just seeing them in a cage makes me feel kind of good inside. I like knowing I'm depriving them of their freedom, even if my research doesn't provide me the opportunity to cut them open."

"I hate those little fu.ckers," he added.

[Minya's wife 25]

I wonder if there are any laws in place that would protect Yale if it were an act of workplace violence?

Protect Yale from what? Like if the girls family want to sue Yale for failing to protect the life of their loved one? Who give$ a ###### if Yale (one of the premier universities in the country) has to shell out some money in compensation? It still does not undo the horrific crime, return life to this poor girl and two families are still destroyed.

I surely hope you are not lecturing me. I've personally known 3 people that were murdered, including a 7 year old classmate, so I know a little about loss. I'm only theorizing as to why they would label it workplace violence.

I'm not lecturing you...your initial post didn't sound "theorizing" that is why I was asking for clarification. Do you mean to say that perhaps it was termed workplace violence, as opposed to just homicide, because it would somehow 'protect' Yale from liability? Since it was New Have PD that labeled this 'workplace violence', are you implying that they may be biased towards the university and not investigating this properly? I really don't think there is a conspiracy of that sort here. They just identified this as workplace violence because the reason that chopfvck murdered her may have something to do with the lab work she was performing....and since the murder ocurred at the 'workplace'...it is being called workplace violence.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Memories... I remember one dude that worked on prions (mad cow) and ended up in a psych ward for a couple of weeks. Everyone blamed the lab manager.

Its bad enough that she was murdered... but by some PETA-like freak? My goodness. If that's the case universities will have to start doing background checks on its lab workers.

I know here we run background checks on any new hire. both criminal and credit wise. And I think folks over at the medical centers are subject to much more stringent checks.

I feel so sad to think she was murdered right before her wedding day, that just adds insult to injury

[Minya's wife 25]

Memories... I remember one dude that worked on prions (mad cow) and ended up in a psych ward for a couple of weeks. Everyone blamed the lab manager.

Its bad enough that she was murdered... but by some PETA-like freak? My goodness. If that's the case universities will have to start doing background checks on its lab workers.

I know here we run background checks on any new hire. both criminal and credit wise. And I think folks over at the medical centers are subject to much more stringent checks.

I feel so sad to think she was murdered right before her wedding day, that just adds insult to injury

Our animal facilities are in a separate building and you can only get into it if you are have gone through animal training and facility use training, and listed on an approved animal protocol,...etc. There are many checks along the way....though if someone is a psycho with PETA like leanings, I'm not sure that background checks, and on the job training would necessarily catch them before you go ape$hit and commit violence.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Memories... I remember one dude that worked on prions (mad cow) and ended up in a psych ward for a couple of weeks. Everyone blamed the lab manager.

Its bad enough that she was murdered... but by some PETA-like freak? My goodness. If that's the case universities will have to start doing background checks on its lab workers.

I know here we run background checks on any new hire. both criminal and credit wise. And I think folks over at the medical centers are subject to much more stringent checks.

I feel so sad to think she was murdered right before her wedding day, that just adds insult to injury

Our animal facilities are in a separate building and you can only get into it if you are have gone through animal training and facility use training, and listed on an approved animal protocol,...etc. There are many checks along the way....though if someone is a psycho with PETA like leanings, I'm not sure that background checks, and on the job training would necessarily catch them before you go ape$hit and commit violence.

WORD