New Haven Independent

Superior Court Judge Roland Fasano made that decision on Friday.

Fasano issued the ruling in response to a motion by the Hartford Courant, New Haven Register and New York Times, and the Associated Press. The press outlets asked the judge to make public the warrant that justified Clark’s Sept. 17 arrest, as well as eight search warrants related to the case. Clark, a 24 year-old Yale lab technician, was charged with murdering Le, a 24 year-old graduate student, on Sept. 8. Clark has entered no plea.

The affidavits have been under seal by request of the state and defense, under order of the judge. Le’s family has also requested they remain sealed.

Fasano issued a ruling Friday stating that the warrants would be redacted and released to the public in three working days, allowing time for appeals. Because Wednesday is a government holiday (Veterans Day), that means the warrants will be made public on Thursday at 3 p.m.

In most cases, “Connecticut courts do not seal or limit disclosure of arrest and search affidavits beyond the investigative stages,” Fasano noted. However, he saw fit to withhold some information in the affidavits, mainly in order to protect the defendant’s right to a fair trial.

Fasano will keep under seal not just the unredacted documents — but also his written conclusion justifying the specific redactions.

He did give three reasons for keeping some of the material under seal: Some of it is “inflammatory.” Some would prove “unfairly prejudicial to the defendant.” And some is “material that constitutes an invasion of privacy unnecessary to the public’s understanding of the criminal process.”

Clark’s public defenders have asked the judge to keep the warrant sealed. They argue its release would prejudice potential jurors because of all the media attention the case has received, and will continue to receive. The Courant’s lawyer argues that the public has a right to know the details contained in the warrants.

Reached Friday, attorney Paul Guggina, the media outlets’ lawyer, said he’s still reviewing the judge’s decision.

Previous coverage of the Annie Le case:

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