AKRON, Ohio -- An Akron man convicted of murder is telling his attorneys and his family not to work toward keeping him off death row.

Clarence Fry, who killed his ex-girlfriend almost a year ago, said in a mitigation hearing Monday that he would neither beg nor ask the jury for a lighter sentence.

In an emphatic exchange with the judge, Fry ridiculed the jury, saying there's no need for any more talk, NewsChannel5 reported.

Fry leveled allegations against he jury and his attorneys during the hearing in a Summit County courtroom.

Facing the possibility of a death sentence, Fry said he would offer no words to a jury to escape one.

Fry had earlier called the jurors "dumb," "stupid," and "pitiful." Fry told Judge Patricia Cosgrove he didn't want anyone to speak on his behalf to what he called a jury of clowns.

"I wouldn't give them the time of day. They're too stupid to tell what time of day it is," said Fry.

During his trial, Fry admitted to killing Tamela Hardison last July. Fry said Monday that if a death sentence were given, that would open the case for an examination into his allegations about the jury.

"You have 12 dummies who couldn't even recognize that and you want me to come up here to give them mitigation factors. Please," said Fry.

Fry also said his attorneys weren't competent. Cosgrove asked if Fry would allow family members to speak to jurors on the death penalty question, but Fry said there's "no reason to parade my family up here."

"Me and my attorneys have nothing to say to these people. We're through with them. It's a done deal. We have nothing to say. It's over. Gas up the bus," said Fry.

Fry has been ruled competent to stand trial and is of normal IQ.

Cosgrove told Fry it was a defendant's right to control the strategy of his own case.