The Julius Jones story explained, as execution looms large 

40-year-old Julius Jones is set to be executed on November 18 unless the Federal Court or Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt decide to prevent it. Jones was arrested in 2002 for the alleged murder of 45-year-old businessman Paul Howell.

Julius Jones was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to death in 2002 when he was just 22-years-old. Since his conviction, Julius has maintained his claim of being wrongfully arrested over a murder he did not commit.

In a Twitter video released on the official page of Justice for Julius on November 15, his mother Madeline Davis-Jones said:

"Governor Stitt, please send my baby boy home. He is innocent and please send him home in Jesus' name. I ask you. Thank you."

A day later, a statement from Madeline was tweeted, where she claimed that Julius Jones is innocent as he was at their home in her presence when Paul Howell was killed.

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What is happening with Julius Jones' execution?

After being sentenced to death in 2002, Julius Jones spent more than nineteen years being incarcerated for a crime that he, his mother, and his followers claim he did not commit.

On September 13, Oklahoma's Pardon and Parole Board recommended that Julius' sentence be changed to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole. Again on November 1, the board recommended clemency (leniency) for Julius' sentencing after voting 3–1 in favour of changing the death sentence.

However, the ultimate decision regarding changing his sentencing lies with Oklahoma's Governor Stitt.

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Details of the case which favor the claims of Julius Jones being innocent

As per the Justice For Julius website, Christopher Jordan, who had reportedly admitted to killing Howell, is the real perpetrator. He has allegedly admitted to committing the murder on various occasions. Furthermore, Jordan is also said to have revealed to his former fellow Arkansas prison convict Roderick Wesley that the former let Julius Jones take the fall for his crime.

Furthermore, Julius' family (especially his mother) claims that he was present at home during the murder. Meanwhile, the initial eye-witness allegedly described the murderer with "1-2 inches of hair." This reportedly did not match Julius' appearance back then, as he had a shaved head at the time.

Fences star Viola Davis produced a documentary in 2018, which narrated the story of Julius Jones' alleged wrongful conviction. The ABC documentary titled The Last Defense covered Julius' story in three episodes.

In 2018, a Change.org petition was launched to demand justice for Julius, which has garnered over 6.5 million signatures till date.