
Read Kim Kardashian’s emotional Twitter post Jones’ supporters back at the state capitol pushing for a meeting with the governorĮuropean Union ambassador to the US delivers letter urging Oklahoma governor to stay Julius Jones execution Julius Jones: Family wait outside Oklahoma governor’s office in vain ahead of execution Key Points Kim Kardashian issues passionate anti-death penalty plea ahead of Julius Jones’ scheduled execution Julius Jones’ mother pleads for Oklahoma governor to call off execution The race to spare Julius Jones from the death chamber ABC’s documentary The Last Defense explores Jones’ fight to avoid the death penalty and attracted the support of celebrities, especially those with ties to Oklahoma.

Jones and his supporters have been visiting Mr Stitt’s office in the days leading up to the execution in an attempt to secure a meeting to discuss a stay of execution. The first person to be executed since the moratorium was lifted, a 60 year old inmate, convulsed and vomited during the execution, which raised further questions about the drugs.
#JULIUS JONES EXECUTION UPDATE SERIES#
Jordan’s is not a persuasive showing of actual innocence.The state has scheduled Jones to death by lethal injection, making him only the second prisoner to be executed since the state took a six year break from using the deadly drug concoction after a series of botched executions.

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, the response from prosecutors and how the case got here. 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. Instead of allowing the execution to proceed, Stitt said he was commuting Jones’ sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Shortly after noon Thursday, the Republican governor announced he had granted Jones clemency. Kevin Stitt weighed whether to spare his life. The clock was ticking for Jones as Oklahoma Gov.
#JULIUS JONES EXECUTION UPDATE TRIAL#
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Julius Jones’ execution was halted Thursday, less than four hours before he was scheduled to receive a lethal injection following outcry over doubts about evidence at his murder trial nearly 20 years ago.
