![]() ![]() It also raised concern over allegations that one of the jurors who convicted Jones referred to him with the n-word. The LDF stressed that the inmate’s family members have confirmed that he was home at the time when the murder was committed. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF), an advocacy organisation concerned with racial justice, wrote a letter to Stitt earlier this month raising doubt over Jones’s conviction. ![]() National celebrities, including reality TV personality Kim Kardashian West and NBA stars have voiced support for Jones. He maintains that he is innocent and claims to have been framed by the actual killer who testified against him, but prosecutors say the evidence against Jones is overwhelming. Jones was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the killing of businessman Paul Howell during a carjacking 22 years ago. “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, we are grateful that the Governor has prevented an irreparable mistake,” Bass said in a statement.ĭozens of US states have abolished the death penalty, but 27 states and the federal government still authorise capital punishment for certain severe criminal offences. Prosecutors say those individuals, all of whom have lengthy criminal records, were not credible, knew no details of the murder and that their testimonies were not corroborated.Jones’s lawyer, Amanda Bass, welcomed Stitt’s decision on Thursday, calling it a step “towards restoring public faith in the criminal justice system”. Jones’ attorneys say the jury also never heard from several individuals who have testified that Jordan admitted killing Howell and framing Jones. Even Jones’ trial attorney, David McKenzie, wrote in an affidavit that he “personally concluded that the alibi defense was untrue.” JAILHOUSE TESTIMONY They also note that three people saw Jones with Howell’s stolen Suburban shortly after the killing. ![]() Prosecutors say this is a “blatant falsehood,” and that Jones’ trial attorney never called the family to the witness stand because Jones repeatedly told his attorneys that he was not at home on the night of the murder. Jones and his family have maintained that he was at home with them on the night of Howell’s murder, eating dinner and playing games with his siblings, and that the jury was never presented this information at trial. Jordan’s is not a persuasive showing of actual innocence.” Prosecutors also note that a federal district court addressed this issue, noting “the length of (Jones’) hair compared to Mr. Jones has long said he was framed by Jordan, and that Jordan is the actual killer.īut prosecutors say Tobey testified she never saw braids and that her testimony was referring to how much hair was visible between the top of the ear and the stocking cap, not the hair length. Jones’ attorneys suggest this was a better description of Jones’ co-defendant who testified against him, Christopher Jordan, who had corn-row braids at the time, and that the jury was never shown a photo of Jones taken a week before the murder that showed him with short, close-cropped hair. Paul Howell’s sister, Megan Tobey, who was an eyewitness to her brother’s killing, testified in court that the gunman was wearing a stocking cap that came down “about a half an inch to an inch” above his ears, and that hair was sticking out from both sides. ![]()
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