Inmate Put to Death in Oklahoma for 1992 Stabbing Death of Fellow Vietnamese Refugee

AP ^ | 3-23-04 | Julie E. Bisbee

[Indy Pendance]

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) - A man who confessed to killing a fellow Vietnamese refugee in front of the man's wife was executed Tuesday.

Hung Thanh Le, 37, died by an injection of drugs for the 1992 stabbing death of an Oklahoma City beauty salon owner. Le said Hai Nguyen owed him money that he needed to support his family.

In a final statement, Le apologized for killing Nguyen with a meat cleaver and kitchen knife.

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

Le also apologized to his victim's wife, Thuy Nguyen, who had pleaded with Le to stop as he stabbed and slashed Nguyen.

Tuesday was Le's third execution date. Gov. Brad Henry delayed the execution in January so he could decide whether to grant clemency and again in February at the request of the Vietnamese Embassy.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals rejected Le's request for an emergency stay Tuesday afternoon.

Le and Hai Nguyen had fled Vietnam during the war and met at a refugee camp in Thailand. Le testified he had given Nguyen $10,000 as part of a business proposal, but nothing came of it and Nguyen kept the money.

[dagnabbit]

Google this thug's name and you'll get dozens of Lefty hand-wringer sites decrying his sentence. "He was a victim too", "His Consulate wasn't notified", ad nauseum.

[BykrBayb]

From Le's statement, it sounds like even he came to realize the sentence was just. No hand-wringing here. He committed the crime. He paid the price. Now he faces his Creator. Hopefully he made his peace with God. If not, he'll pay the price again.

[henderson field]

Another noble immigrant who came to America to build a better life for his family. What a contribution he's made.