Julius Jones

What was once one of the nation’s busiest death chambers has not resumed administering capital punishment as easily as some had hoped after Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt stopped Julius Jones from being executed hours before he was scheduled to die.

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board twice recommended Jones' sentence be commuted to life with the possibility of parole.

The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board has twice recommended Gov. Kevin Stitt grant Julius Jones clemency and reduce his sentence to life with the possibility of parole, citing doubts about his guilt and problems with his trial.

Jones' case has increasingly drawn attention since it was profiled in a documentary that aired on ABC in 2018 and outlined some of his defense team’s allegations.

Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis wrote he respectfully requests Stitt follow the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board’s recommendation to grant Jones clemency and reduce his sentence to life with the possibility of parole.

An official with Stitt's office said the governor wasn’t available and asked Madeline Davis-Jones to fill out a form for visitors.

The Republican state lawmakers say there are too many doubts about Julius Jones' guilt.

The inmates sued for the injunction, saying that John Marion Grant’s execution demonstrated that Oklahoma officials still have not resolved concerns over the state’s execution method.

The Oklahoma Legislative Black Caucus, conservatives and faith leaders have all asked Gov. Kevin Stitt to approve the parole board's recommendation to reduce Julius Jones' sentence to life with the possibility of parole.

The board recommended in a 3-1 vote clemency for 41-year-old Julius Jones, along with commuting his sentence to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Several members of the panel agreed they had doubts about the evidence that led to Jones’ conviction.