Vietnamese refugee put to death for 1992 murder

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- Thuy Nguyen has been living in fear for the past 12 years.<br><br>Now she might sleep a little better. After two delays and three execution dates, her husband's killer, Hung

Tuesday, March 23rd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) -- Thuy Nguyen has been living in fear for the past 12 years.

Now she might sleep a little better. After two delays and three execution dates, her husband's killer, Hung Thanh Le, was put to death Tuesday for the 1992 beating and stabbing death of Hai Nguyen.

Thuy Nguyen watched as Le stabbed her husband with a kitchen knife and slashed his neck and back with a meat cleaver.

"It's a big relief knowing that he's gone for good," Nguyen said. "I know it must be hard for his family right now, watching him die, but I watched Hai die. I sort of feel like what goes around comes around."

Before a lethal combination of drugs took effect, Le said he hoped his death would give her peace.

"I hope she can put this behind her and that she is doing better in her life and can put hate from her vocabulary," Le said.

Le, 37, died at 6:04 p.m., about two minutes after receiving the injections.

Before the lethal combination of drugs took effect, Le apologized for the murder.

"I can't take back what happened," Le said. "I hope my death will replace the hatred ... with love for each other."

Le's brother-in-law, Hung Nguyen, who is not related to the victim; his brother Thung Le and two spiritual advisers witnessed the execution.

Le thanked them for their help in trying to save his life. Hung Nguyen had advocated clemency for Le and had spoken at a rally protesting Le's Feb. 26 execution date.

As the drugs were administered, Le closed his eyes and exhaled deeply before the color drained from his face and lips.

Death penalty opponents rallied against Le's execution at the Capitol, again asking Gov. Brad Henry to give Le clemency.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on Tuesday rejected an emergency request to stop Le's execution. He had no other appeals pending.

Le's attorney, Lanita Henricksen, had argued Le was denied access to assistance from the Vietnamese consulate, as guaranteed by the Geneva Convention.

Vietnam and the United States did not have diplomatic relations when Le was arrested for the murder in November 1992. The two countries resumed relations in July 1995. Le was convicted in September 1995.

"I think if this were any other state besides Oklahoma or Texas, there wouldn't be an execution," Henricksen said.

Le had been scheduled to die Feb. 26, but officials from the Vietnamese Embassy asked Henry to delay the execution so the embassy could have time to review the case.

His first execution date in January was delayed so Henry could review the case after the Pardon and Parole Board unanimously recommended clemency for Le. Henry later rejected that request. Since Henry has been in office, he has rejected three recommendations for clemency.

Le confessed to killing Hai Nguyen the night he was arrested, saying the two had argued about money and a proposed business deal before the murder.

After the murder, he took $36,000 from Hai Nguyen's safety deposit box and used it to buy new clothes, to buy a one-way, first-class ticket back to Ohio and to bet on horses at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

Le was the fourth inmate executed in Oklahoma this year.