![]() ![]() Several members of Jones’ family remember him being at home at the time of the crime. Bob Macy, the district attorney at the time, vowed to seek the death penalty against Jones before charges were formally filed. Police arrested Jordan first, who claimed Jones was the one who had shot Howell. His sister later described the shooter as a Black man, wearing a black stocking cap and a red bandana over his face.Īfter police recovered Howell’s stolen Suburban, two confidential informants directed police to Jones and his friend Christopher Jordan. ![]() His adult sister and two young children were with him at the time. Jones was sentenced to death for the July 28, 1999, murder of Paul Howell, who was shot as he got out of his GMC Suburban in the driveway of his parents’ home. On Wednesday, high school students across Oklahoma City walked out of their classrooms in protest of Jones’ scheduled execution. Since then, Jones has received public support from Kim Kardashian, NFL Cleveland Browns quarterback Even Baker Mayfield, and NBA players Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin and Trae Young. Jones’ case, a subject of a 2018 documentary series produced by Viola Davis, has attracted high-profile attention. Jones’ lawyer, Amanda Bass, said that while they had hoped Stitt would fully follow the board’s recommendation and commute Jones’ sentence to life with the possibility of parole in light of the evidence of his innocence, “we are grateful that the Governor has prevented an irreparable mistake.” He put Julius through the ordeal of a last meal and last sleepless night in prison.” Still waited until four hours before the execution to make this announcement. I hope that Julius’ family will find comfort in this decision. He’s only 41 years old and has spent 22 years in prison. We grieve that he will have to spend the rest his life in prison without the possibility of parole. “We are thankful that Julius’ life was spared. “It is definitely a mixed blessing,” Don Heath, the Chair of the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, said in a statement. The delay meant that Jones spent weeks on highly restrictive death watch, while he and his family waited to see if he would be allowed to live. ![]() 1, Stitt waited until hours before Jones’ scheduled execution to announce his decision. Stitt ordered that “Jones shall not be eligible to apply for or be considered for a commutation, pardon, or parole for the remainder of his life.”Īlthough the Pardon and Parole Board made its recommendations on Sept. “After prayerful consideration and reviewing materials presented by all sides of this case, I have determined to commute Julius Jones’ sentence to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” Stitt said in a statement. The Pardon and Parole board recommended Stitt commute Jones’ sentence to life with the possibility of parole - but on Thursday Stitt specifically blocked Jones from pursuing freedom through parole. And put simply, I have doubts about the case,” board Chairman Adam Luck said at Jones’ first clemency hearing in September. “Personally, I believe in death penalty cases there should be no doubts. Stitt’s decision came after the state’s Pardon and Parole Board twice recommended clemency for Jones, citing evidence of his innocence and his young age at the time of the crime. Kevin Stitt (R) granted clemency on Thursday to Julius Jones, a man who was previously facing execution later that day as punishment for a murder he says he did not commit. Julius Jones, who was facing execution on Thursday, was granted clemency by Oklahoma Gov.
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