New Haven Independent

11:43 a.m. Public defender Joe Lopez speaks to four reporters in a private conference room on the courthouse’s sixth floor. There was no plea entered today because he and client Raymond Clark have not decided whether they will seek or waive a hearing of probable cause, he said. On Oct. 20 Lopez will report back to the judge on whether his client will waive his right to the probable cause hearing. At such a hearing, a prosecutor has to show there’s enough evidence establishing probable cause. Lopez said he’s still waiting on key information from police and other officials to inform that decision. If they think there’s damning evidence, defense attorneys often don’t see an advantage in proceeding. If the evidence is shaky, a hearing could stop the case. (Police say they accumulated over 300 pieces of physical evidence in this case.)

“I’m expecting boxes of discovery,” Lopez said. That includes interviews, forensic evidence, videotape, photographs, police reports, and a medical examiner’s autopsy report. All he’s gotten so far: one arrest warrant and several search warrants.

Lopez said the arrest warrant is “just a few pages.”

The Courant motion, filed today, to unseal the warrant, ran 16 pages. The office of New Haven State’s Attorney Michael Dearington filed a short motion seeking to extend the seal on the search warrants, adding to one already filed by public defenders. Dearington declined comment.

Clark is expected to file a pro forma not-guilty plea. If he waives his right to a probable cause hearing, the plea could come as early as the 20th, according to Lopez.

In the separate case taking place in the same courtroom right after Clark’s brief appearance, the suspected triggerman in the Edgewood Park sundial murder, Jose Fuentes-Pillich, pleaded not guilty and waived his right to a probable cause hearing. He returns to court on Nov. 4.

10:32: Still waiting.

10:22: Waiting on sixth floor for public defenders to finish a separate case and then explain why no plea was entered today.

10:10: That’s it. Marshals take Clark from the courtroom. Clark is being returned the McDougall-Walker Correctional Institution in Suffield; his bond is set at $3 million. None of his relatives showed up in court today.

10:09: No plea entered. Judge Roland Fasano announces a 2 p.m. Oct. 20 court date to consider a probable cause hearing on the charges against Raymond Clark. Paul Guggina, representing the Courant, is called to the front in court in reference to the newspaper’s effort to un-seal the arrest warrant. The judge grants the paper’s motion to intervene. Its motion to unseal the warrant will be considered at the Oct. 20 hearing, along with a defense motion to keep it sealed.

10:07: Courant filed motion to intervene in the case this morning, seeking to unseal the warrant.

10:05 a.m.: Court is in session. Clark appears wearing an orange jump suit.

9:57 a.m. Inside the sixth-floor courtroom the seats are full. A freelance sketch artist, Christine Cornell, is sitting in the jury box with binoculars and pastels ready to draw Clark for TV stations.

9:48 a.m.: Clark hasn’t shown up yet; a half dozen photographers are staking out the sidewalk. Clark is expected to enter a not-guilty plea. The Hartford Courant plans to file a request to have the arrest warrant unsealed.

Pictured: Marshals take Clark to his initial court appearance on Sept. 17.

Previous coverage of the Annie Le case:

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
• City Cops Join Search For Annie Le; $10,000 Reward Posted