"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," the family said in a statement.Īmanda Bass, an attorney for Jones, said she regretted that the governor did not adopt the board's recommendation to allow Jones the possibility of parole, but was grateful Stitt did not allow "an irreparable mistake" to take place. also hailed the reprieve, adding on Twitter, "Very importantly and most urgently, we must abolish the death penalty."Ī more tempered response came from the Howell's family, whose members believe that Jones is guilty of the murder, but nevertheless accepted the governor's decision. The governor's office has been contacted for comment.Bernice King, daughter of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. She urged supporters to visit the Justice for Julius Jones website for more information on the case and to take action by emailing Stitt or signing the petition. Justice for Julius is justice for Paul Scott Howell." "Every time I'm fighting for my brother, Julius Darius Jones, I'm also fighting for Paul Scott Howell to get the justice that his family needs. "But Julius is an innocent Black man on death row, he did not commit the crime of murdering Mr. "I've not stopped praying for them since I was 13," she said. And the governor has the power to give him back."Īntoinette Jones also acknowledged the pain felt by Howell's family. "But what we do still have is Julius Jones, and we want Julius Jones back. Pointing to cases of police brutality and racial injustice, she added: "We can't bring Trayvon Martin back, we can't bring Mike Brown back, we can't bring any of those folks back. Julius Jones received an 11/18 execution date today, despite the parole board recommending a commuted sentence last week! He needs your help! Visit www. "I think this could be a bright, shining example of what is possible when the work of racial reconciliation is practically applied." "There is an opportunity for redemption here when it comes to issues of race relations in Oklahoma and across the country," she said. You cannot bring that life back," she said, pointing to case of Troy Davis, a likely innocent Black man executed in Georgia exactly 10 years ago on Tuesday.Īnd Jones-Davis argued that commuting the sentence of a Black man who has spent around half his life on death row presents an opportunity for racial reconciliation in Oklahoma, noting the fact the state commemorated the 100-year anniversary of the Tulsa race massacre earlier this year. "At the end of the day, if you execute an innocent person, you can't bring that life back. But Jones and his supporters have argued that his trial attorneys failed to adequately defend him and that racial discrimination played a role in his trial and sentencing.Īntoinette Jones also said capital punishment should not be carried out when there are doubts about the guilt of some who have been put to death. Oklahoma prosecutors said the evidence against Jones is overwhelming. "So I have that evidence that helps me have faith in his ability to see what this has been, see what it is, just like his parole board did, and take the recommendation of his board." "He's had to make, in the past, some really courageous choices about a variety of issues. "This is a man who has have proven over and over again in the state of Oklahoma, that he stands on what he believes," she told Newsweek. His case has attracted widespread attention in recent years, thanks to a grassroots campaign, a documentary series that explored his innocence claim and celebrity advocates including Kim Kardashian West.Ĭece Jones-Davis, who directs the Justice for Julius Jones campaign, said she is also hopeful Stitt will step in and stop Jones' execution. Jones, 41, was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1999 killing of businessman Paul Howell, but he has always maintained his innocence and claims he was framed. "I thank you for being a great governor in the state of Oklahoma and saying that you wanted to hear from the people." Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP, File Oklahoma has set an execution date for Julius Jones, even though a parole board recommended his sentence be commuted.
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