A high-profile murder trial like Angelika’s demanded funds beyond her reach, for attorneys, experts, testing, and other miscellaneous expenses. Her parents had scraped together whatever they could—even sending their life savings—and other members of her home community helped, too. Richard Portale started a campaign on FundRazr, “Justice for Angelika,” with a goal of raising $75,000 for her defense. As of October 2015, only $270 had been raised.
Angelika’s parents planted a tree in Latvia in Vince’s memory and sent condolences to Vince’s mother. In jail, Angelika attended classes, joined a Bible study group, and corresponded with her family, sending letters and artwork.
Sean Von Clauss sat in front of his television on the evening of November 6, 2015. He’d missed the 48 Hours episode about the case and still entertained a speck of niggling doubt about Angelika’s guilt. As he watched the show now for the first time, every shred of uncertainty melted away as he witnessed the toxicity of her words and attitude in the clips of her interrogation. “[I’m] disgusted and sick to my stomach,” he said after the show ended. Later, he poured out his emotions in an email: “My worst nightmare is true! She admitted that she paddled away from Vinny. She said her ‘demon’ side told her not to help him. It’s so unreal. I can’t believe that little peanut could take away our beloved brother and friend. And in a cruel way. Freezing to death, only to drown. He must have been so horrified seeing her paddle away from him. I pray she didn’t taunt him, but I’m sure she did—cursing him and laughing at him while he tried to stay afloat, clinging to his kayak freezing.”
The tragic accident had had an enormous impact on Sean’s life. “I can’t sleep, and when I do, I keep waking up to Vinny screaming for her to help. I’m so sorry, Vinny. Almost every night, that same dream, of her taunting him and smiling as he is freezing and begging her to help. What a monster!”
After watching the episode, Sean had no more doubts about Angelika’s guilt. “I know after hearing her statements that she did it. She planned it. She seduced him through sex and naughty pictures and she deliberately brought one life vest. That part of the interview has me troubled. She claims she didn’t own any, but yet the day in question, Vinny said she should wear one? She planned it. I know it. Just can’t prove it. I personally think once she knew of the $250,000 insurance, she started plotting.”
Over in Surrogate Court in Dutchess County, Laura Rice filed a request that Angelika be prohibited from collecting Vince’s insurance money or any of his assets. The document stated that the family intended to file a wrongful death suit. Judge James Pagones signed an order to that effect on November 20, 2015, blocking any payouts from the State Farm and Zurich American life insurance policies.
In court, Angelika usually allowed the attorneys to do all the talking. Back in Freehill’s court for another pretrial hearing on December 21, Angelika finally spoke up. With a smile on her face, she wished the judge a Merry Christmas.
The judge, however, had more pressing matters on his mind. He complained to the lawyers on both sides of the courtroom that “the currents [weren’t] moving too swiftly in this case.” Observers wondered what actions he would take to accelerate the trial.
The next step in the pretrial dance was scheduled and rescheduled several times, but finally everyone returned to the courtroom on February 25, when Judge Freehill responded to several motions from the defense. Portale and Chartier had objected to all ten search warrants issued in the case. However, the court ruled that the defense lacked standing to challenge the two warrants for two cell-phone records and the three for Facebook, Apple iCloud, and Yahoo.
The defense had also requested that the indictment against their client be dismissed or that the charges be reduced. The judge ruled against them on both.
A number of motions remained, including the most pivotal one: the defense’s desire for a Huntley Hearing, a pretrial review of the manner in which the police had obtained statements from the defendant. In this proceeding, the judge must determine if the responses by the defendant were voluntary beyond a reasonable doubt. If he decided otherwise, the state could not submit that evidence to the jury at trial.
Portale wanted all eleven hours of interrogation video suppressed, along with the statements made by Angelika the night of the incident and at the barracks on April 28 and on the island on April 29. This evidence was vital to the state’s case. If the judge ruled in favor of the defense, no one was certain if the prosecutors could move forward. Freehill scheduled the hearings for May 2, 2016, more than a year after Angelika’s arrest.