Family of Richard Clay begs Gov. Nixon to stop his execution

The last time a man was executed in Missouri was May 2009, and now Richard Clay is set to break the streak in little more than a week. So with the Jan. 12 date looming, his family and supporters have started their last efforts to keep Clay from the executioner with a press conference begging for clemency yesterday in Jefferson City.

Clay was convicted in 1995 of killing Bootheel car dealer Randy Martin, but the conviction was thrown out by a federal judge in 2001. After a new trial in 2004, an appeals court reinstated Clay’s conviction and death sentence.