Oklahoma court declines to bar duo from death penalty case
Legal Events
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has rejected a request to remove two members of the state’s Pardon and Parole Board from a high-profile death penalty case.
The court’s brief ruling on Friday denied a prosecutor’s request to remove Adam Luck and Kelly Doyle from considering the commutation request of Julius Jones, who was sentenced to death for the 1999 killing of Edmond businessman Paul Howell.
The ruling came after a lawyer for District Attorney David Prater argued before a court referee that unless members Luck and Doyle were barred from taking part in the decision, the five-member board would likely recommend that Jones’ sentence be commuted following a hearing Monday.
Prater, who argued that Luck and Doyle have a conflict of interest because of their work with released inmates, said in a statement that he respects the high court’s decision.
“This is the system I operate in every day and I believe in it, though decisions don’t always go as I desire,” Prater wrote.
Prater said his office is prepared to present “the truth of the circumstances” surrounding the fatal shooting of Howell during a carjacking.
“If the Board objectively considers the truth, they will quickly vote to deny the killer’s commutation request,” Prater said.
Attorneys for Luck and Doyle didn’t immediately reply to Saturday phone messages seeking comment.
Jones’ attorney, Michael Lieberman, said he is pleased the ruling came quickly.
“We’re certainly very grateful to the Supreme Court for getting that issue resolved as quickly as they did,” Lieberman said. “We’re looking forward to Monday, going before the parole board to prove that (Jones) is innocent.”
The board could recommend downgrading Jones’ sentence to life in prison with or without the possibility of parole, but Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt would make the final decision.
Prater vowed to oppose a commutation recommendation should the board send it to the governor. Jones, now 41, has maintained his innocence since his arrest and alleges he was framed by the actual killer, a high school friend and former co-defendant who was a key state witness against him.
His case drew widespread attention after it was profiled in “The Last Defense,” a three-episode documentary produced by actress Viola Davis that aired on ABC in 2018. It has since 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 Stitt to commute Jones’ death sentence and spare his life.
Prater and former state Attorney General Mike Hunter have said the evidence against Jones is overwhelming. Information from trial transcripts shows that witnesses identified Jones as the shooter and placed him with Howell’s stolen vehicle. Investigators found the murder weapon and a bandana with Jones’ DNA in an attic space above his bedroom, but Jones claims in his commutation filing that the gun and bandana were planted there by the actual killer.
Jones also maintains his trial was contaminated by a racist juror, but Hunter has noted that the trial court and the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals found otherwise.
Supporters of Jones plan a prayer service and a rally Monday in support of his commutation application.
“Julius Jones will finally have a chance to tell his story,” said the Rev. Cece Jones-Davis of Justice for Julius, who is not related to Julius Jones. “We believe the truth will set him free.”
Related listings
-
Bajrami beats FIFA in court, can switch to play for Albania
Legal Events 08/30/2021In a win over FIFA at sport’s highest court, Empoli midfielder Nedim Bajrami won the right Monday to switch national teams from Switzerland to Albania. The Court of Arbitration for Sport said its panel upheld an appeal by Bajrami and the Albani...
-
Judge tells prison to seize Nassar’s money for victims
Legal Events 08/22/2021A judge ordered the government to take money from the prison account of a former Michigan sports doctor who owes about $58,000 to victims of his child pornography crimes. Larry Nassar has received about $13,000 in deposits since 2018, including $2,00...
-
US moves to cut backlog of asylum cases at US-Mexico border
Legal Events 08/19/2021The Biden administration on Wednesday proposed changing how asylum claims are handled, aiming to reduce a huge backlog of cases from the U.S.-Mexico border that has left people waiting years to find out whether they will be allowed to stay in America...
East Greenwich, RI Family Law Office
The Law Office of Erica S. Janton offers a wide range of legal services in all areas of family law, encompassing divorce, paternity, adoption, child support, child custody and placement, post judgment modifications, mediation and other related issues.
Erica S. Janton has extensive experience in complex high asset and high conflict family law matters. For the last decade, Erica S. Janton has devoted her career to the family law, first as a mediator and then in her legal career as a family law attorney and mediator. Attorney Janton represents a large variety of clients and has earned a well-regarded reputation for resolving complex custody and high asset, high conflict divorce cases. When providing clients with representation as an attorney, she is a compassionate and staunch advocate who ensures that her clients are well informed of their options and the related process, and prepared for every possible scenario a client may encounter.
Erica S. Janton has extensive experience in complex high asset and high conflict family law matters and uses her experience within the family court arena to individually tailor strategies with each of her clients and provide realistic solution focused results.