In an update on Thursday, the petition's organizers wrote, "The only thing standing between him and the execution chamber is immense public pressure on Governor Stitt to do the right thing." "It is clear that Julius' lawyer did not adequately defend him, and that explicit racial bias played a significant role in the process," the petition said. The petition, which was created on by the Justice for Julius foundation, states that "At the time of the crime for which he was convicted, Julius was a 19-year-old student athlete with a promising future, attending the University of Oklahoma on an academic scholarship." with 1 day left of his life, the governor hasn't acted."Ĭlemency Petition Reaches Over 6.5M SignaturesĪ petition calling for clemency to be granted for Julius Jones has garnered over 6.5 million signatures as of Thursday morning. So much so that the state parole board recommended to the governor that he not be executed. The evidence that this man is innocent is overwhelming. oklahoma is a day away from executing a man. Rapper J.Cole also shared Kardashian West's tweets and said, "Read this please. Federica Wilson, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Adriano Espaillat.Ī number of celebrities have also showed similar support for Jones, such as Kim Kardashian West, who tweeted earlier this week that "My heart breaks for Julius and so many others who have suffered from such tragic miscarriage of justice." Other politicians that called for the execution to be stopped included Reps. grant Julius Jones clemency and stop this inhumane execution.- Congresswoman Cori Bush November 18, 2021 There is no walking it back or undo button. Julius Jones is set to be executed today for a crime for which there is strong evidence he did not commit.Īn execution is final. We recognize that the pain of losing a loved one never ends, and our hearts and prayers are with the Howell family." Our office will continue to work for justice and for the safety of all Oklahomans, including families like Paul Howell's. The statement continued, "A thorough review of the evidence confirms Julius Jones' guilt in this case and that the death penalty was warranted. However, we are greatly disappointed that after 22 years, four appeals, including the review of 13 appellate Judges, the work of the investigators, the prosecutors, jurors, and the trial Judge have been set aside." "I appreciate the Governor's condition that Mr. "The Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General respects the statutory authority of the Governor to make this decision," the statement said. Oklahoma Attorney General John O'Connor issued a statement following Governor Kevin Stitt's decision to grant Julius Jones clemency, saying that he knows that Stitt is "making what he believes is the right decision." Stitt Calling off Julius Jones' Execution Oklahoma Attorney General Responds to Gov. Julius Jones forever changed our lives and the lives of his family and friends," the statement added, according to The Oklahoman.ĭespite the statement from Howell's family, Jones has repeatedly claimed he is innocent. "We wish to thank our friends, supporters and advocates whose words, thoughts and prayers have kept us strong throughout this ordeal. 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."Īccording to The Oklahoman, in the statement, Howell's family went on 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." In a statement obtained by The Oklahoman, Howell's family said, "We know Governor Stitt had a difficult decision to make. Stitt announced on Thursday that he was commuting Jones' sentence from the death penalty to life in prison without parole. Jones was convicted of murdering Howell in 1999 and was previously sentenced to death for the crime. The family of Paul Howell issued a statement on Thursday in response to Governor Kevin Stitt's decision to halt the execution of Julius Jones. Family of Paul Howell Responds to Halted Execution
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