Following the horrifying last moments of John Marion Grant’s execution last week, the Oklahoma State Pardon and Parole Board has recommended clemency for death row inmate Julius Jones.
The board voted 3-1 in favor Monday of granting clemency for Jones, 41, who has been on death row for more than 20 years for the 1999 murder of Edmond businessman Paul Howell following a carjacking. Jurors chose the death penalty during his 2002 trial.
Along with clemency, Jones' death sentence was commuted to life with the possibility of parole.
In a September hearing, the board voted, along with members Adam Luck, Larry Morris, and Kelly Doyle voted in favor of recommending commutation.
"The Pardon and Parole Board has now twice voted in favor of commuting Julius Jones’ death sentence, acknowledging the grievous errors that led to his conviction and death sentence," Jones' lawyer, Amanda Bass, said in a news release. "We hope that Governor Stitt will exercise his authority to accept the Board’s recommendation and ensure that Oklahoma does not execute an innocent man."
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.
Eyewitnesses place Jones at his parents’ home at the time of the murder, miles away from the crime scene.
Jones’ co-defendant admitted to being involved in the crime and is now free after testifying against Julius. He was heard bragging that he “set Julius up.” Jones’ co-defendant matches the only eyewitness description of the shooter, based on the length of his hair.
Newly-discovered evidence shows that at least one juror harbored racial prejudice that influenced his vote to convict and sentence Jones to death.
”Julius Jones is innocent. But you have to look at the context. One of the jurors used the N-word, saying, ‘They should just take the n***** out and shoot him behind the jail.’ Another juror reported what he said to the judge, and nothing was done about it,” Robert Dunham, executive director of the nonpartisan Death Penalty Information Center told Daily Kos.
Prior to Monday’s hearing, Antoinette Jones told CNN she's keeping Howell's family in her thoughts. While she's hopeful the parole board will recommend clemency for her brother, "I'm also praying for the Howell family because I know this is going to be very hard for them," she said. "Because they're going to have to relive this again, just like my parents are going to have to relive this again."
"I'm mindful of that because it was a senseless murder that happened to Mr. Paul Howell," Antoinette Jones said. "We never forget that."
Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is the final voice in Jones’ fate, said after last month’s board vote that he would not issue a decision until after the clemency hearing.
Jones could be eligible for parole because of the jail time he's already served.
The board voted 3-1 in favor Monday of granting clemency for Jones, 41, who has been on death row for more than 20 years for the 1999 murder of Edmond businessman Paul Howell following a carjacking. Jurors chose the death penalty during his 2002 trial.
Along with clemency, Jones' death sentence was commuted to life with the possibility of parole.
In a September hearing, the board voted, along with members Adam Luck, Larry Morris, and Kelly Doyle voted in favor of recommending commutation.
"The Pardon and Parole Board has now twice voted in favor of commuting Julius Jones’ death sentence, acknowledging the grievous errors that led to his conviction and death sentence," Jones' lawyer, Amanda Bass, said in a news release. "We hope that Governor Stitt will exercise his authority to accept the Board’s recommendation and ensure that Oklahoma does not execute an innocent man."
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.
Eyewitnesses place Jones at his parents’ home at the time of the murder, miles away from the crime scene.
Jones’ co-defendant admitted to being involved in the crime and is now free after testifying against Julius. He was heard bragging that he “set Julius up.” Jones’ co-defendant matches the only eyewitness description of the shooter, based on the length of his hair.
Newly-discovered evidence shows that at least one juror harbored racial prejudice that influenced his vote to convict and sentence Jones to death.
”Julius Jones is innocent. But you have to look at the context. One of the jurors used the N-word, saying, ‘They should just take the n***** out and shoot him behind the jail.’ Another juror reported what he said to the judge, and nothing was done about it,” Robert Dunham, executive director of the nonpartisan Death Penalty Information Center told Daily Kos.
Prior to Monday’s hearing, Antoinette Jones told CNN she's keeping Howell's family in her thoughts. While she's hopeful the parole board will recommend clemency for her brother, "I'm also praying for the Howell family because I know this is going to be very hard for them," she said. "Because they're going to have to relive this again, just like my parents are going to have to relive this again."
"I'm mindful of that because it was a senseless murder that happened to Mr. Paul Howell," Antoinette Jones said. "We never forget that."
Gov. Kevin Stitt, who is the final voice in Jones’ fate, said after last month’s board vote that he would not issue a decision until after the clemency hearing.
Jones could be eligible for parole because of the jail time he's already served.