![]() ![]() They also note that three people saw Jones with Howell's stolen Suburban shortly after the killing. Prosecutors say this is a “blatant falsehood," and that Jones' trial attorney never called the family to the witness stand because Jones repeatedly told his attorneys that he was not at home on the night of the murder. Jones and his family have maintained that he was at home with them on the night of Howell's murder, eating dinner and playing games with his siblings, and that the jury was never presented this information at trial. Jordan's is not a persuasive showing of actual innocence." Prosecutors also note that a federal district court addressed this issue, noting “the length of (Jones') hair compared to Mr. Jones has long said he was framed by Jordan, and that Jordan is the actual killer.īut prosecutors say Tobey testified she never saw braids and that her testimony was referring to how much hair was visible between the top of the ear and the stocking cap, not the hair length. ![]() Jones' attorneys suggest this was a better description of Jones' co-defendant who testified against him, Christopher Jordan, who had corn-row braids at the time, and that the jury was never shown a photo of Jones taken a week before the murder that showed him with short, close-cropped hair. Paul Howell's sister, Megan Tobey, who was an eyewitness to her brother's killing, testified in court that the gunman was wearing a stocking cap that came down “about a half an inch to an inch" above his ears, and that hair was sticking out from both sides. Stavros Lambrinidis sent a letter to Stitt, urging him to grant Jones clemency.įollowing are some of the key arguments made by Jones' attorneys and the response from prosecutors. This week, Ambassador of the European Union to the U.S. Since then, reality television star Kim Kardashian West, who visited Jones in prison, and athletes with Oklahoma ties, including NBA stars Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin and Trae Young, have urged Stitt to commute Jones’ death sentence and spare his life. The case has increasingly drawn attention since it was profiled in “The Last Defense,” a three-episode documentary produced by actress Viola Davis that aired on ABC in 2018 and outlined some of his defense team's allegations. Jones has consistently maintained his innocence. Jones, now 41, was convicted and sentenced to die for the 1999 shooting death of Paul Howell, a businessman from an affluent Oklahoma City suburb. He is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Thursday. Only hours are left for Stitt to decide whether Jones lives or dies. The request said Oklahoma’s lethal injection procedures post a “serious and substantial risk of severe suffering and pain to prisoners” and cited last month’s execution in which John Marion Grant convulsed and vomited as he was being put to death.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - The fate of Julius Jones - who has served almost 20 years on death row, even as numerous questions raised doubts about his guilt - rests with Oklahoma Gov. 1 that Stitt commute Jones’ sentence to life in prison, with several members of the panel agreeing they had doubts about the evidence that led to Jones’ conviction.Īttorneys for Jones filed a last-minute, emergency request Thursday afternoon seeking a temporary stop to his execution. The state’s Pardon and Parole Board recommended in a 3-1 vote on Nov. Julius Jones forever changed our lives and the lives of his family and friends. We would like to thank the countless people in the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies across the state for their tireless efforts and unwavering support for the last 22 years. We take comfort that his decision affirmed the guilt of Julius Jones and that he shall not be eligible to apply for, or be considered for, a commutation, pardon or parole for the remainder of his life. ![]() We know Governor Stitt had a difficult decision to make. Howell’s family released a statement Thursday expressing their mixed reactions to Stitt’s decision. Jones had proclaimed his innocence from death row for more than two decades in the 1999 killing of a suburban Oklahoma City businessman, Paul Howell. “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 released the following statement regarding his decision: Kevin Stitt commuted Julius Jones’ sentence to life without the possibility of parole hours before he was scheduled to receive a lethal injection Thursday. OKLAHOMA CITY ( NewsNation Now) - Oklahoma Gov. ![]()
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