Oklahoma governor commutes death sentence of Julius Jones hours before planned execution
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) granted a last-minute commutation on Thursday to Julius Jones, who has spent 20 years on death row for a murder he has maintained he did not commit. Jones, now 41, had been scheduled to be executed Thursday afternoon. "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 said.
The Oklahoma Parole and Pardons Board had voted 3-1 earlier this month to recommend commuting Jones' sentence to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
In 2002, a jury convicted Jones of the first-degree murder of businessman Paul Howell in 1999. Howell was shot during a carjacking, and Jones' co-defendant, Christopher Jordan, testified against him in the trial. Jordan was given 30 years in prison.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Lawyers for Jones presented evidence to the parole board that the jury had not heard evidence from several people who stated they heard Jordan admitting to the murder and framing Jones, then a 19-year-old University of Oklahoma student. The jury was also not presented with evidence about Jones' alibi or that he didn't fit the shooter's description, the lawyers said.
Howell's family said in a statement they were thankful Stitt denied Jones the possibility of being eligible for parole, pardon, or commutation. Jones' lawyers said they still hope to prove him innocent. "Governor Stitt took an important step today towards restoring public faith in the criminal justice system by ensuring that Oklahoma does not execute an innocent man," attorney Amanda Bass said in a statement.
"It is rare for an Oklahoma governor to grant clemency," The Oklahoman reports, and Stitt's commutation is only the fifth grant of clemency for a death row inmate in the state's history. Brad Henry, a Democrat in office from 2003 to 2011, granted clemency to three death row inmates, and Frank Keating, a Republican who served from 1995 to 2003, granted clemency to one inmate. From Keating's term until Stitt took office 2019, The Oklahoman adds, Oklahoma executed more than 100 people.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
What's behind Trump's last-minute merch push?
Today's Big Question With just weeks to go before the election, Donald Trump is spending the waning days of his campaign hawking a suite of new products, from silver coins to cryptocurrency
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kamala Harris' plan to raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy
the explainer Tweaks, rather than sweeping overhauls, characterize the Democratic nominee's proposals
By David Faris Published
-
The most notable October surprises
In the Spotlight Late breaking news in October has the power to rock presidential races
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Swearing in the UK: a colourful history
In The Spotlight Thanet council's bad language ban is the latest chapter in a saga of obscenity
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
ATF finalizes rule to close 'gun show loophole'
Speed Read Biden moves to expand background checks for gun buyers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Hong Kong passes tough new security law
Speed Read It will allow the government to further suppress all forms of dissent
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
France enshrines abortion rights in constitution
speed read It became the first country to make abortion a constitutional right
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Texas executes man despite contested evidence
Speed Read Texas rejected calls for a rehearing of Ivan Cantu's case amid recanted testimony and allegations of suppressed exculpatory evidence
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court wary of state social media regulations
Speed Read A majority of justices appeared skeptical that Texas and Florida were lawfully protecting the free speech rights of users
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Greece legalizes same-sex marriage
Speed Read Greece becomes the first Orthodox Christian country to enshrine marriage equality in law
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba have a rough day in defamation court
Speed Read Trump's audible grousing as E. Jean Carroll testified earned him a warning he could be thrown out of court, and Habba showed she 'doesn't know what the hell she's doing'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published