OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Julius Jones’ commutation listening to has been rescheduled to September 13, after initially being scheduled for June.
“It is slightly bit longer. It is three months away as a substitute of subsequent month,” Jimmy Lawson, Julius Jones’ greatest pal, advised KFOR on Thursday. “The optimistic aspect is that we are going to nonetheless get our likelihood to have a listening to.”
Jones was granted a commutation listening to following a 3-1 vote by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board again in March.
Now, months later, his June listening to was rescheduled to September 13 at 10 a.m.
In an announcement despatched to Information 4, Pardon and Parole Board Government Director Tom Bates mentioned the next:
“The second stage commutation listening to for Julius Jones shall be on the September thirteenth docket. It was set in September to permit new administrative guidelines to enter impact regarding enhanced second stage hearings in circumstances that the Pardon and Parole Board determines warrant extra time to listen to from advocates for the offender in addition to victims and trial officers. Our present guidelines solely permit comparatively quick intervals of time for these hearings.”
In July of 1999, Edmond businessman Paul Howell was shot and killed within the driveway of his mother and father’ Edmond dwelling. Investigators say the alleged suspect took off in Howell’s Suburban after killing the businessman.
On the time of the crime, Julius Jones was a 19-year-old honor pupil on a scholarship on the College of Oklahoma.
Jones was arrested and was placed on trial for the homicide.
Jones by no means took the stand and he was finally convicted and sentenced to demise.
His supporters mentioned his authentic protection workforce failed him, by no means even citing his alibi for the evening of the homicide.
Nevertheless, Oklahoma County District Lawyer David Prater mentioned these defending Jones have “disseminated misinformation and lies relating to the trial and proof” within the case.
The Jones household has at all times maintained Julius’ innocence.
“As God is my witness, I used to be not concerned in any method within the crimes that led to Howell being shot and killed,” Jones mentioned in his clemency report. “I’ve spent the previous 20 years on demise row for against the law I didn’t commit, didn’t witness and was not at.”
In January of 2019, the U.S. Supreme Courtroom introduced that it could not become involved within the case when Jones’ legal professional argued that folks of colour in Oklahoma usually tend to be sentenced to demise when the sufferer within the case is white.
Weeks later, his attorneys filed a brand new enchantment asking the court docket to think about proof in opposition to a selected juror.
That juror is accused of utilizing a racial slur when referring to Jones through the trial, and reportedly advised one other member of the jury that somebody ought to shoot Jones ‘behind the jail.’
Protection attorneys say the choose within the case knew concerning the dialog, however didn’t take away the juror from the trial.
Nevertheless, the Supreme Courtroom nonetheless denied Jones’ petition for a judicial overview.
“The U.S. Supreme Courtroom twice declined to take a look at the problems in Julius’ case, points associated to racism,” Baich advised KFOR.
In latest months, Jones’ case has gained nationwide consideration with many individuals calling on state leaders to intervene.
Nevertheless, Oklahoma Lawyer Normal Mike Hunter says they’ve the best man behind bars.
“Julius Jones murdered Paul Howell in chilly blood in entrance of his sister and daughters,” Hunter mentioned. “No movie star imploration or profusion of misinformation will change that.”
Hunter says one of many key elements within the case was a crimson bandana that was discovered wrapped across the homicide weapon in Jones’ dwelling.
In 2018, the bandana was examined for DNA proof after Jones’ protection attorneys claimed the proof would show that Jones was being framed.
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Nevertheless, the outcomes of the DNA profile confirmed the chance of the DNA belonging to somebody aside from Jones was one in 110 million African People.
Hunter launched this assertion following the pardon and parole board’s vote:
“Except Decide Allen McCall, I’m upset within the members of the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. The three members who voted in favor of shifting Jones to stage two didn’t apply goal requirements to the regulation or the proof. I encourage these members to return and take a look at the 33-page protest letter and 849-page appendix we submitted final Monday, which utterly invalidates each declare that Julius Jones is harmless. My workplace will proceed to face on the irrefutable details of this case and with the household of Paul Howell by opposing Jones’ request for aid from the Pardon and Parole Board.”
Oklahoma County D.A. David Prater additionally launched an announcement:
“My coronary heart breaks for the household of Paul Howell immediately. My ideas and prayers are with them as they proceed to take care of unimaginable ache.”
“We belief that in September, the reality will come to gentle, that the pardon and parole board members will see Julius Jones for who he truly is, know that he is not a killer, and commute his sentence to time served,” CeCe Jones Davis, with the Justice for Julius marketing campaign, mentioned.
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