All three of them declined to address the court. They were shackled and chained before they were paraded out of the courtroom for their next stop: the state prison complex in Cranston.

Michael McCarthy, an assistant attorney general, told the court that, had the case gone to trial, he would have proven that Chith, Havey and Morales beat Klakratok to death on the corner of Cranston Street and Benedict Street in the West End.

At about 2:30 a.m., a brawl between the Young Bloods and Hanover Boyz erupted near a 7-11 convenience store at 775 Cranston St. The street fight involved about 40 gang members armed with baseball bats and pipes. Several car windows and head lights were smashed.

There were reports of shots fired and the police raced to the scene.

Meanwhile, two cars with the Young Bloods drove off, leaving Klakratok behind. Prosecutor McCarthy said that the gang member ran east on Cranston Street toward the downtown area. He said that Havey, driving a dark sports utility vehicle, chased after him and caught up to him near the corner of Benedict Street.

Chith, Havey and Morales piled out of the car and attacked Klakratok. The police found him on the ground, blood flowing from his head into a freshly fallen snow.

Standing before the judge, the three gang members all agreed with the prosecutor’s version of the events leading up to and including the murder.
Klakratok’s father, Chiar Klakratok, a Cambodian refugee who does not speak English, attended the hearing with an interpreter from the attorney general’s office. Randall White, another prosecutor, spoke for the elder Klakratok. He said that his son helped pay the mortgage on his home and that his death had left him ``very, very sad.’’

White also said that Klakratok hoped that the stiff penalties would steer other youths away from gangs.

He cried and wiped tears from his eyes as the interpreter translated the message.

Members of the Havey and Morales families also were teary-eyed as the young men pleaded guilty and were sent away. No one was there to offer support for Chith.

A police officer who worked on the investigation said that Chith called a family member after he was charged in the murder.

"Don’t bother calling us anymore,’’ said the loved one.