Skip to main content
You are the owner of this article.
Edit Article Add New Article
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit

LATEST

Featured

Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board votes to commute Julius Jones' sentence

Julius Jones
A screenshot from the ABC docuseries, “The Last Defense”, shows Julius Jones' arrest in 1999.
 via ABC's "The Last Defense" featurette

Stay in the loop

Get our top OU and Norman stories in your inbox. Free newsletter sign up

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-1 to recommend Julius Jones’ sentence be commuted from the death penalty to life in prison with the possibility of parole during a hearing Monday. 

Jones has been on death row since 2002 after he was convicted of killing Paul Howell in the summer of 1999 when Jones was a student at OU. He was the first death row inmate scheduled to have his case heard by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. 

Justice for Julius supporters have maintained Jones was wrongfully accused since his arrest, with several celebrities — including Kim Kardashian — joining the movement.

The board’s recommendation will be sent to Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk.  

Stitt can accept or deny the board's recommendation, or he can change the recommendation and grant a different commutation sentence, according to the state government's website. He does not have a statutory timeline in which to respond. 

On Twitter, various community members expressed excitement about the development, as well as remorse about the state of Oklahoma's justice system and concern about Stitt's upcoming decision. 

Cece Jones-Davis, Justice for Julius campaign director, expressed relief at the board's recommendation. 

Ari Fife contributed to this report. 

This article was updated at 5:19 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13, to include Twitter reactions. It was updated again at 1:39 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, to indicate Cece Jones-Davis is the Justice for Julius campaign director, not director. 

OU Daily standards

See an error? Earning trust is our duty. We correct errors atop stories. Identify an error, request a takedown or get in touch.

Independent and free since 1916: OU is committed to our editorial independence. You can help ensure our reporting remains strong and accessible to all invested in OU and Norman.

Want to comment? We value dialogue on issues we cover. On our social media accounts, we moderate disparagements, arguments and attacks, including those directed at our staff — and ban those repeatedly failing civility. The editor considers guest column submissions.