The board was in favor of his sentence being commuted to life in prison with the possibility of parole. In an early November hearing, Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-1 to recommend clemency for Jones.
Now 41, Jones has spent half his life in prison. Julius Jones forever changed our lives and the lives of his family and friends.” 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. In a statement Thursday, Howell's family said, “We know Governor Stitt had a difficult decision to make. As of Thursday, the site’s online petition had garnered more than 6 million signatures. Jones’ defense team maintained that it was planted and would have had Jones’ DNA on it as his DNA was present in his parents’ home.Īccording to CBS News, his family said that he did not match the description of the suspect described by the witness, and he was not allowed to testify in his trial.Ī website set up for Jones, Justice for Julius Jones, added that the case was filled with racial bias and errors, including a juror who used the N-word. Jones has insisted that he was framed and betrayed by his former friend and co-defendant in the case, Christopher Jordan, who testified against Jones and fingered him as the shooter.Ī witness to the shooting said the suspect was wearing a red bandana and, in the days after the killing, the murder weapon was found inside Jones’ parents’ home wrapped in a red bandana that had Jones’ DNA on it.
JULIUS JONES UPDATE TRIAL
He was 19 at the time of his trial for capital murder. Jones was convicted of the murder of 45-year-old Paul Howell, a wealthy white man, during an attempted carjacking in 1999. “.e are grateful that the governor has prevented an irreparable mistake.” “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,” she said. We have done nothing wrong, and it almost feels like we are doing something wrong by speaking out.Jones’ attorney, Amanda Bass, celebrated the news but said they’d hoped Jones could have received the possibility of parole, as had been recommended by the state’s Pardon and Parole Board. He was murdered in front of me and my sister and my aunt. Howell told Villarreal, "He was an innocent man, taking his kids to get ice cream with my aunt. Jones' clemency hearing is the first time she'll actually get to confront the man convicted of killing her father. They asked him multiple times if he is waiving his right to testify, and he's agreed, he did not want to testify." You can find it in the transcripts, if you do the research. "Julius Jones and his family and their supporters claim that he did not get the opportunity to testify in court," said Howell. "There's a lot of misinformation around this case," she said, "and the public has been given a false narrative about this case. Rachel Howell was nine years old when her father was killed, and was with him that day. Since the documentary aired, Jones' case has received attention from celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Stephen Curry. Because they knew someone was going to fry for this." "But where I grew up, you're not supposed to be telling other people's business because bad things can happen to you.
"I mean, this is probably my greatest downfall, that I never said anything to the police," Jones said. Jones spoke to the film crew from jail saying he regretted not saying it was Jordan who committed the crime. Jordan was convicted of murder for driving the getaway car in Howell's death, but he has allegedly admitted to at least three others that he shot Howell and framed Jones. They also say race played a role, pointing to a White juror and the officer who arrested him allegedly calling Jones the N-word.Ī 2018 documentary about Jones, "The Last Defense," focused on evidence attorneys did not present at court about Christopher Jordan. They say his public defender was inexperienced and didn't cross-examine witnesses. Before we ate spaghetti and cornbread, we were playing Monopoly."įor years the family has asserted neither Jones nor his family were allowed to testify about critical details because his defense team was inadequate. "Because I know where my brother was that night of the murder of Mr.
Villarreal asked Antoinette, "What makes you so sure they have the wrong person?" His family says eyewitness descriptions don't match Julius, who at the time had a shaved head. Three days later, 19-year-old Julius Jones was arrested at his home. His SUV was stolen, and witnesses reported seeing a Black man with a red bandana and 1-2 inches of hair shoot the father of two. On July 28, 1999, Paul Howell was murdered outside his parents' home in front of his family.
0 kommentar(er)
