More on Rick Clay
Now that we can slow it down a bit, I wanted to respond to the number of questions about what commutation means and to explain Governor Nixon’s motivations. First, let me remind you that the execution vigil for Clay will still go tonight from 8:30-9:00 pm at St. Francis Xavier Church on the corner of Lindell Blvd & Grand. We need to savor our victory and stand in solidarity for the next battle (see below).
After the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the Rick Clay’s execution, it was in Governor Nixon’s court to intervene. When he commuted Clay’s sentence, that meant he reversed the death sentence to life without parole. Nixon could have also empowered a board of inquiry to investigate the case and possibly get the recommendation to completely overturn the sentence but chose not to go that route. The victory is that Clay will live to continue his fight for freedom and his attorneys can continue the legal battle to prove his innocence.
The Governor’s action are incredulous on the one hand because of the infrequency of commutations in Missouri. There have only been three such actions since the death penalty was re-instated in 1976. Governor Carnahan is responsible for the other two. One was that of Bobbie Shaw in 1993 who was clearly mentally retarded. The other was Darrell Mease whose commutation was at the request of the Pope who coincidentally was visiting St. Louis at the time of the scheduled execution.
As to why Governor Nixon commuted the sentence when he emphatically states that Clay is guilty, I can only speculate. The most compelling reasons may be the lack of evidence and eye witnesses in the Clay case coupled with the recent unraveling of Kenny Hulshof’s convictions which are rife with prosecutorial misconduct. Josh Keezer and Dale Helmig had convictions overturned in the last 18 months and are both victims Hulshof’s handiwork. Hulshof was then Attorney General Jay Nixon’s chief prosecutor so Nixon’s hands aren’t exactly clean.
Having said that, I would encourage you to call Governor Nixon’s office to thank him for the commutation. We are so used to criticizing our elected officials, sometimes we forget to show our appreciation when they do the right thing. That number again is 573.751-3222.
February 9 Execution Date set for Martin Link
While we were fighting for Clay, an execution date of February 9 was set for Link in the 1991 murder of Ellisa Self-Braun. Some observers are wondering if the fast-paced scheduling of executions is to beat the March 1 expiration deadline of sodium thiopental, a drug necessary for the lethal injection drug cocktail. We’ll keep you posted on developments in this case.
“Enough Already!”
Jamala Rogers, Coordinator
JUSTICE for Reggie Campaign
P. O. Box 5277
St. Louis, MO 63115
(314) 367-5959
www.justiceforreggie.com
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