Julius Jones has just been granted clemency.
(Picture: Justice for Julius campaign )Julius Jones has been granted clemency after celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kerry Washington publicly advocated on his behalf.
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has commuted Jones’ death sentence hours just hours before he was scheduled to be executed at 4 p.m CT. The sentence will be commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Jones has been on death row for nearly 20 years after being convicted 1999 murder of Paul Howell during a carjacking. Jones maintains his innocence.
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board had twice recommended that Jones’ sentence be commuted. The final decision was up to Stitt.
“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 wrote in his official statement.
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What’s Next
Jones’ attorney, Amanda Bass, stated that they had hoped for a slightly different outcome.
“While we had hoped the Governor would adopt the Board’s recommendation in full by commuting Julius’s sentence to life with the possibility of parole in light of the overwhelming evidence of Julius’s innocence,” Bass said, “We are grateful that the Governor has prevented an irreparable mistake.”
Anti-death penalty activist Sister Helen Prejean said that while the law now prohibits Jones from never again applying for a pardon or commutation, Jones can still pursue legal exoneration
While Julius Jones’s death sentence was commuted to life without parole on condition that he can never again apply for a pardon or commutation, this does not preclude Julius from pursuing legal exoneration in state or federal courts.
Celebrities React
While Julius Jones's death sentence was commuted to life without parole on condition that he can never again apply for a pardon or commutation, this does not preclude Julius from pursuing legal exoneration in state or federal courts.
— Sister Helen Prejean (@helenprejean) November 18, 2021
Kim Kardashian publicly thanked Governor Stitt via Twitter and posted a series of tweets about Jones, stating that she spent most of her day on the phone with him yesterday in between his non-contact lawyer meetings and family visitations.
Kardashian also passed on a message from Jones.
He said if you are doing something your mom wouldn’t approve of then you shouldn’t be doing it. It’s that simple!
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) November 18, 2021
She ended the lengthy thread by once again thanking Governor Stitt as well as the parole board.
I’m so grateful to everyone who used their voice and helped to save Julius’s life today.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) November 18, 2021
Thank you to the parole board and Governor Stitt. 🙏🏼❤️
Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. shared her support of Jones.
I BELIEVE these words from my father.#JuliusJones lives to fight on and so many will continue to fight on his behalf.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) November 18, 2021
This is what People Power can do.
Keep your heads up.
Let’s walk and work together. pic.twitter.com/ppxgm9UWZw
I’m truly thankful that #JuliusJones will not be executed.@GovStitt did order ineligibility to apply for a commutation, pardon, or parole for the rest of his life. So the work for justice continues.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) November 18, 2021
Very importantly and most urgently, we must abolish the death penalty. pic.twitter.com/26KTXK7aLY
