Oklahoma attorney general convinced of Julius Jones’ guilt

An Oklahoma death row inmate whose case has drawn the attention of actors and athletes was convicted because of overwhelming evidence of his guilt, Attorney General Mike Hunter said Monday. Hunter released a summary of trial transcripts in the case that he says directly refute what he described as “misinformation” being provided to the public about the conviction and death sentence of Julius Jones, 40.

“The fact is, Julius Jones murdered Paul Howell in cold blood in front of his sister and daughters,” Hunter said. “No celebrity imploration or profusion of misinformation will change that. The information we are releasing today is from the trial transcript, and it disproves every claim that he is innocent.”

An execution date for Jones has not been set, but he has exhausted all of his appeals and Hunter announced earlier this year that the state is prepared to resume lethal injections.

Information from trial transcripts shows witnesses identified Jones as the shooter and placed Jones with Howell’s stolen vehicle. The murder weapon and a bandanna with Jones’ DNA was recovered in an attic space above his bedroom. Jones also maintains his trial was contaminated by a racist juror, but Hunter noted that both the trial court and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals found otherwise.

On Monday, Jones’ mother, Madeline Davis-Jones, attended a press conference with officials from the Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP. She claims her son was at her home eating dinner and playing Monopoly on the night Howell was murdered.

“Every day since then has been like watching a nightmare unfold,” she said. Jones’ case has drawn the attention of reality television star Kim Kardashian West and athletes with Oklahoma ties , including NBA stars Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin and Trae Young, who have urged Gov. Kevin Stitt to commute Jones’ death sentence and spare his life.