![]() ![]() Racial bias: In Julius’ case, nearly every Black person eligible to serve on Julius’ jury – save one – was removed from service.Prosecutorial misconduct: Non-disclosure of the informant deals is prosecutorial misconduct and a violation of Julius’ constitutional rights.Junk forensic science: The State’s forensic case against Julius relied on the now discredited testimonies of FBI analyst Kathleen Lundy and Terrence Higgs, a firearms examiner for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.There are grave doubts about the reliability of Julius Jones’ conviction, including: A secret deal with the person likely responsible for the crime: The jury never knew the prosecution promised Christopher Jordan he would get out of prison in just 15 years in exchange for blaming Julius for what he, in fact, had done – something Jordan admitted to multiple disinterested witnesses who have since come forward to attest to that fact under oath.But they never testified because Julius’s lawyers – who had never handled a death penalty case before – decided not to call a single witness. The alibi that the jury never heard: Julius’s mother, father, sister, and older brother were all adamant Julius was at home when Mr.The description of the hair sticking out perfectly fit Julius’s co-defendant, Christopher Jordan, who testified against Julius to avoid the death penalty. The jury was never shown a photograph of Julius, taken just days before the shooting, showing his hair was too short to fit that description. An eyewitness identification that did not match Julius: The only eyewitness to Paul Howell’s tragic murder described the shooter as having half-an-inch of hair sticking out from underneath a stocking cap.Overwhelming evidence points to Julius’ innocence, including: But to make sure that happens, he needs to hear from us. Governor Kevin Stitt has commuted sentences for hundreds of incarcerated people with the stroke of his pen - he can again. His case has also garnered bipartisan support from prominent state officials, celebrities, faith leaders, and the victim’s own girlfriend, Connie Ellison. The majority of Oklahomans believe Julius’ sentence should be commuted (according to a recent poll, 6 in 10 Oklahomans). A juror who voted to convict called Julius the n-word. The prosecutor hid key context from the jury. An FBI agent who testified against him later admitted to lying under oath. The case against Julius Jones is riddled with misconduct. And the key witness for the prosecution took a secret deal to reduce his own prison time. An eyewitness identified someone else at the crime scene. Julius has an alibi for the crime he is accused of, but the jury never heard it. His death sentence has been commuted after intense public pressure, but he still faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. More than 6.3 million people signed a petition requesting that Jones not be executed. But Jones’ support doesn’t end with celebrities. Stephen Curry and his coach Steve Kerr have also shown support for Julius Jones. His story was also featured on a podcast with Kim Kardashian and was mentioned on the ‘Late Late Show with James Corden. Jones has been featured in the first season of ‘The Last Defense,’ a documentary television series that explores injustices in the American justice system. Still for Jones’ supporter’s clemency doesn’t feel too satisfying for a man they believe should be free and enjoying his family. An Oklahoma governor has only granted clemency four times in the state’s history and has denied clemency more than nine times. In 2014, Christopher Jordan, the person driving the getaway car in Howell’s murder, admitted to shooting Howell and framing Jones, leaving many to believe Howell’s murder will never be solved.īut clemency in Oklahoma is rare and almost never granted. One of the jurors even alleges another juror called Jones the N-word and called for him to be lynched outside the courthouse. In 2002 a jury 12-person jury with only one black person found him guilty and sentenced him to death. Jones, who has spent the last 20 years on death row, was convicted and sentenced to the death penalty for the fatal shooting of Paul Howell, who was killed during a carjacking in 1999. The decision means Jones will not be executed but will have to spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he still insists he did not commit. ![]() But the Pardon and Parole Board recommended the possibility of parole in a 3-1 vote. Stitt also ordered that Jones never be eligible to apply for or be considered for a commutation, pardon, or parole for the rest of his life. Jones’s sentence was reduced from the death penalty to life in prison. ![]()
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