Clay urges Koster to drop appeal in Allen case

ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis Congressman Lacy Clay is urging fellow Democrat and Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to drop his appeal and allow George Allen Jr. to be freed from prison.

A judge last week overturned Allen's 1983 conviction for the murder and rape of a St. Louis woman, citing evidence that called the conviction into question. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce announced Wednesday she would not re-try Allen, but Koster appealed the ruling to a state appeals court.

In a letter Friday, Clay wrote that there is overwhelming evidence that Allen is innocent.

But Deputy Attorney General Joe Dandurand says the judge made no finding that Allen was innocent but rather that there was prejudice in the original trial. He says the case should be examined by the appellate court.