Execution Date Set For 1987 Prison Killing

The State Supreme Court has set a May 23rd execution day for Sam Smith, who was convicted in the January, 1987 stabbing murder of fellow inmate Marlin May at the state prison in Jefferson City. At the time of the killing, Smith was serving a sentence for second-degree murder. Smith stabbed May 19 times during a scuffle that was broken up by corrections officers, who had to use mace on Smith to stop the knife attack.