Jones has been on death row for nearly 20 years in connection with the 1999 murder of Paul Howell during a carjacking. “And if this is swift, we’re in trouble again.” “I really don’t know what to say to him because he has assured us he would make the decision swift,” Madeline Davis-Jones told CNN’s Don Lemon. Jones’ mother expressed concern Wednesday night about the governor’s inaction so far. The 11th-hour decision comes after years of protest over Jones’ death sentence. “Governor, you still have a chance, you still have time,” she said. “This governor has nothing to pray about, he has a decision to make,” said Cece Jones-Davis, director for the Justice for Julius campaign, in reference to reports the governor had been in “deep prayer” about the decision. Kevin Stitt grants him clemency.Įven as the clock is winding down, the Republican governor has still not said whether he will accept a recommendation from the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, which voted 3-1 on November 1 to commute Jones’ sentence to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Before Stitt, the state carried out more than 100 executions under the previous three governors' combined 24 years in office.Julius Jones is scheduled to be executed today at 4 p.m.
Oklahoma has one of the nation's busiest death chambers. Frank Keating granted clemency just once.ĭating back to when Keating was in office, Oklahoma governors have denied clemency at least nine times.
Brad Henry granted clemency to three death row inmates. It is rare for an Oklahoma governor to grant clemency, having only been approved four times in the state's history.
"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," they said in a statement.īoard recommendation: Oklahoma parole board recommends clemency for Julius Jones, faces execution Nov. The Howell family said they knew Stitt had a difficult decision. Stitt previously told reporters he would meet with members of the Howell family and prosecutors and defense attorneys on the case before making a decision. The third, Scott Williams, recused himself from the vote. Two of the three parole board members Stitt has appointed recommended the governor grant Jones clemency. He also could have issued an execution stay that would have given him more time to consider the recommendation. Stitt had the option to adopt, modify or reject the parole board's recommendation. In a 3-1 vote, the board recommended Jones' sentence be reduced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. The Pardon and Parole Board this month recommended Jones' life be spared. Support for Jones: Kim Kardashian speaks out ahead of planned execution of Julius Jones in Oklahoma
#Julius jones clemency update trial#
Prosecutors have disputed Jones' claims of innocence, saying the trial showed clear evidence of his guilt and the campaign to free him is based on misinformation.
“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. Jones' attorney praised the governor for blocking the execution, but said she had hoped Stitt would have granted her client the option of parole. Jurors chose the death penalty as punishment at a 2002 trial, and Jones has spent nearly 20 years on death row. The clemency marks a partial win for a diverse group of Jones activists and supporters who have proclaimed the inmate was wrongfully convicted in the 1999 fatal shooting of insurance executive Paul Howell during a carjacking. The governor's decision means Jones' execution, set for Thursday afternoon, is canceled. Under that scenario, Jones would have immediately been eligible for parole on his murder conviction. Stitt's decision veers slightly from the Pardon and Parole Board's recommendation to reduce Jones' sentence to life in prison with the possibility of parole. “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 in a statement.Īs a condition of granting clemency, Stitt ordered that Jones shall never be eligible to apply for or be considered for a commutation, pardon or parole for the rest of his life. Kevin Stitt has spared the life of high-profile death row inmate Julius Jones.įollowing a recommendation from the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, Stitt on Thursday granted clemency to Jones, reducing the inmate's sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
0 kommentar(er)
