Church leaders ask Mo. gov. to commute death sentence

Jefferson City, USA - Several religious leaders have asked Gov. Matt Blunt to grant clemency for a man scheduled to be executed later this month.

Dennis Skillicorn is scheduled to be executed Aug. 27, in Missouri's first execution since 2005. Skillicorn was convicted of killing Richard Drummond in Lafayette County in 1994.

In a letter sent Tuesday to Blunt, the religious leaders argued that Skillicorn "has turned his life around, becoming a model of rehabilitation and service to others." They asked Blunt to reduce the sentence to a life prison term without the possibility for parole.

The clemency request was signed by Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Baptist, Quaker and Church of the Brethren leaders.