HELENA, Mon. – The only Canadian on death row in the U.S. is asking the Montana Parole Board to let him live the rest of his life in prison.

Ronald A. Smith was sentenced to death in 1983, seven months after he marched cousins Harvey Mad Man, 23, and Thomas Running Rabbit, 20, into the woods and shot them in the head.

They had picked up Smith, who was partying his way around Montana with friends. Smith, 24 at the time, originally sought the death penalty, spurning a plea deal that would have spared his life.

The parole board is scheduled to listen to testimony from more than two dozen witnesses in a hearing that could extend through Thursday. Smith, 54, is scheduled to testify himself.

A document inadvertently released by the board last month showed that parole board staff is recommending that Smith’s request be rejected. But the board said the staff letter was just a recommendation for them to consider.

The ultimate decision lies with Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who in the past has told the family of the victims that he will think of them, and their desire to see the death penalty carried out, in making any decision. He has also said he does not take lightly any decision to execute a man.

Smith argues he’s now a far different person. He has said he was heavily intoxicated the day of the killings.

Smith has exhausted his legal appeals and faces the death penalty once a lawsuit over the method used by the state is cleared up.

The Canadian government, which does not believe in capital punishment, had initially refused to support Smith, saying he had been convicted in a democratic country. It now formally supports clemency for Smith, in accordance with a long-standing policy of seeking clemency for Canadians sentenced to death in foreign lands.