LITTLE ROCK — A Little Rock man accused of robbing and killing a man for drugs in November 2011 pleaded innocent in Little Rock District Court on Monday.
John Clay, 26, of 5201 Geyer Springs Road, appeared before District Court Judge Alice Lightle on Monday.
Clay faces capital murder and aggravated robbery charges in the shooting death of 35-year-old Maurice Haralson on Nov. 26, 2011, according to court and police documents.
Clay’s arrest in Haralson’s killing came after he was arrested on other charges and confessed to detectives that he and another suspect killed the wrong man, police said.
Around 6 a.m., officers responded to an apartment at 5517 W. 51st St. on a shots-fired call to find Haralson bleeding from his head, according to an officer’s report.
Haralson died of his injuries.
In January 2012, homicide detectives received tips from an anonymous caller implicating Clay in the homicide, the report said.
Clay denied any involvement in the killing during a January interview, the report said. But after he was arrested on burglary charges July 18, Clay requested to speak with detectives about the Haralson homicide, the report said.
On July 27, Clay said that on the night of the shooting, he and another suspect went to a rob a man of his marijuana, but they went to the wrong apartment, the report said.
The other suspect shot Haralson, Clay said, and after that, both went into his apartment looking for the drugs.
Clay was being held at the Pulaski County jail Monday night without bond.
Arkansas, Pages 10 on 07/31/2012