Exclusive: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott calls for the release of Black Death Row Inmate Julius Jones

As a black man in this country right now, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott wrote in a letter to Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma Begnadigungs Board “I have experience injustice firsthand, day after day, just as an athlete with “celebrity status. “The letter in August in the office and words of Governor Council 6 and obtained exclusively by TIME, lawyers for Julius Jones release, an arm of the Black Death in Oklahoma, who was sentenced to death for which it was sent in 1999 a murder Paul Howell, a white businessman Edmond, a suburb of Oklahoma City, during a carjacking. “Current shine a light much needed rooted prejudices and systemic mistreatment of people of color, and it is my sincere hope that the cultural movements of today lead to significant social changes that create a better future, “writes P rescott, entering his fifth NFL season 27.” to this end, they are all to be in the unique position to make a direct impact by addressing a particular miscarriage of justice. “At that moment, the national law on racial injustice that the United States, after the death of Ahmaud Arbery Breon na Taylor, George Floyd and many others took, athletes have played on the front of the race a major role in the national dialogue plan to keep the tough calls. Athletes have the roads to lead demonstrations against racial injustice done. “Black Lives Matter” is on the field during the NBA season restarts registered in Orlando; Players who kneels in unison to call during the national anthem of attention to systemic racism. (Predictably, the president of the United States Donald Trump has called on his knees on August 5 of the NBA “shameful.”) The athletes also put their careers on hold for social justice-WNBA star Maya Moore to fight, for example, , it came from the basketball away in them, when he was 18 because he would have vacated the conviction in March in 1997 years ASSASSINATE to work on the case of Jonathan Irons, who was sentenced to 50 years in prison a white man in a suburb of St. Louis; In early July he went Irons old from Jefferson City, Missouri prison to 40 years to be locked up for 23 years. Moore was to greet him. If Julius Jones has received considerable attention. A Viola Davis has produced documentary series aired in 2018 on ABC, the last defense, covered in depth, while Julius Jones helped the coalition, more than 6 million signatures for a petition asking Change.org Jones pull that he earned a scholarship to Oklahoma University before his conviction be released. Oklahoma athletes with ties to high-profile, like former OU basketball star Blake Griffin boys Trae Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks and Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings, former Oklahoma City Thunder standout Russell Westbrook, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield have he wrote letters to state officials account for Jones. participation Prescott is the case of even higher increase in profile. Quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, long known as “Team America” ​​and the most valuable sports franchise in the world, is one of profiliertesten sport places on the planet. (Prescott, a talented two-time Pro Bowler, its long-term contract status with the Cowboys will be a great story for the upcoming NFL season.) “It ‘s important for Oklahomans to know people outside of the state to pay attention to If pay Julius and influenced the injustices that have occurred, “said Dale Baich, Jones’ defenders. Not long ago, the direct front-facing players an iconic American sports teams a case of capital murder would clearly fall, passions on all sides by criminal defense lawyers that a racist system ignites believe stacked against Julius Jones, and those who this Paul Howell family believes that he was killed outside his home in the presence of sister and two young daughters, she deserves justice. The old playbook athlete was clear: stay in your lane, not to offend anyone, and collect the fat corporate approval controls. But in 2020, this strategy seems sadly dated and athletes like never before come out. “According to the rate case Julius Jones facts, I firmly believe, the wrong person will be punished for this horrible crime, conducted a retrial continues to serious legal and ethical concerns of Mr. Jones’ raises conviction,” Prescott wrote in his letter. “I implore you to right this wrong. Please use could no longer innocent black man can die from systemic abuses that our nation has very tormented for too long.” I think he did not receive a fair trial. ‘According to Jones and his family, Julius, then 19 killed Howell on the night of July 28, 1999 and was the seat of murder at the time what his younger sister and older Flack brother for a place to eat for his birthday a couple of days received before, and play Monopoly with his family. “I ended up giving either my or my Boardwalk, Park Place to Julius,” said Jones’ sister Antoinette. Jones, who was among the first and second years at Oklahoma, at the time, had played high school basketball. “It could be a superhero in my heart, Athletic-wise,” says the mother, Madeleine. “But it could not be two places at once.” Neither Jones or his family have testified, however, as the defense rested after the prosecution witnesses have asked his whereabouts at the trial. In The Last Defense, Jones original trial lawyer gave in cases of death penalty cases and overwhelmed by his public defender was inexperienced numbers. Jones supporters’ say there were other problems with the case. For example, in its October 2019 Jones switching applications of two detainees reported, he said that you consult a representative of Jones, Christopher Jordan, boasts framing Jones as the shooters (Jordan was in prison for his role in the murder Howell.) Heard he had this information is also coming to the failed process. Jordan, which initially contradictory statements about the incident to the police offered testified against Jones and received a 30 years to life in prison, but served 15 years, was published in 2014, the only eyewitness to the murder, Howell sister Megan Tobey testified that hair Sagittarius half inch protruded from under a cap. “This could not have been,” Jones wrote in his application for commutation. “A photograph taken from me just days before the murder July 19, 1999 shows (which is never shown the jury) that I had in short, not long enough to witness description of the shooter complies shaved hair.” Jones argued that racism plagued his case. In the application, he has written that is transmitted from a police car in Oklahoma City Edmond police car “during an official removed the handcuffs and said,, Run n – r. I dare you to run. ” A near jury white just sentenced him. in an affidavit sworn in June 2019 one of the judges said they told someone who thinks he’s a bailiff who has heard another jury, during a break, “something in the way, ‘this n only need to take to -R and shoot him and take and bury him under the jail. “He said after the bailiffs to say about the comments, paraphrased by the judge.” I was surprised that jurors were allowed to remain on the jury and that normally, “continues the process says that he wrote in the affidavit . “I heard there was racism in the jury that Mr. Jones found guilty and sentenced him to death.” the judge said he still believe that Jones is guilty of shooting and killing Howell. “However,” he wrote, “I do not think he will receive a fair trial.” in July published Oklahoma Attorney general Mike Hunter, a document entitled “overwhelming evidence of guilt” that claims these and other arguments for innocence Jones’ to refute. Hunter writes that two of the former prosecutor Jones said that Jones was clear he was with his parents at home, had described as his parents, was assassinated in respect of the evening, Mr. Howell. “he r espinge the credibility of the two witnesses in prison. How that Jordan has been witnessing a secret deal with the case against Jones for the implication, Hunter writes that Jordan “was released because of prison credits, a matter for the district attorneys office have no control.” At the time of the murder, Jordan wore his hair in a style or braided cornrows; Hunter also that evidence in court testified that on Tobey Shooter “No, I could not see the braids.” On the issue of jury racism, says Hunter, the jury if the judge to be questioned at the time of the trial that he signed the affidavit in 2019 that Overheard, never said directly to the judge that another juror, an epithet racial Used. Tobey testified that he saw a red bandana on the face of the shooter. Hunter document says during a test 2018 “Partial DNA profile from bandana receive.” “The main component of Jones matched DNA profile.” A defense experts examining the DNA results takes issue with the characterization as a “game” and the defense has also argued that DNA profiles of three or more persons who are not could be identified which were bandana. Supporters of Jones also noted that the tests did not find saliva on the bandana: If the player had worn on the face, saliva is likely to show up. In his overwhelming evidence of guilt hunting document contains a lab notes: “Of course, one explanation for the negative result is alleged that there is no saliva on the article. In addition, each saliva could exist or degrade or saliva was at below the sensitivity might dilute our “Jordan test has slept the night after the murder of the house Jones’. Jones believes that if Jordan could have hidden the bandana and the gun in his bedroom. His DNA, his supporters say, would hurt her headscarf when they come into contact with objects in his room, perhaps during the collection of evidence or otherwise. Now, Hunter is not to buy any alternative theories. “The standard is beyond doubt,” says Hunter TIME in an interview on the case. “I just want to repeat, you must always consider the possibility that you missed something or you’re wrong about decisions or conclusions that you have done if you are an attorney general or a member of Congress or governor. We are all here for the same sound, no one is perfect. And I listened. And we have the recording feedback they had. There are some lawyers here who know more about this case than me, but I guarantee you, I know more about this case than those who ‘favor on the name of Mr. . Jones. “So, Hunter believes Jones are done to deserve this? “I want it.” According to a recent study published in the Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Review, the overall implementation rate for the defendants accused of killing a white victim is seventeen times higher than the implementation rate convicted accused of killing a black victim. A study in 2017 in the Northwestern University School of Law Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology has found in Oklahoma, nonwhite kill white victims were suspected of being sentenced to death three times more often than to get those non-white victims dead. A couple of abused execution in Oklahoma in 2014 and in 2015 put the death penalty in the state to hold, but the Oklahoma plans to resume execution, a federal court to review new safety protocols on hold. The Jones case is particularly acute in Oklahoma due to the tense racial history of the state. “Oklahoma comes only with the fact that the massacre of Tulsa is one, outrageous outrageous event that is not taught in public schools in Oklahoma over the years,” says CeCe Jones-Davis, the founder of Julius Jones Coalition (no ties the defendant). “What is at stake is to repeat Oklahoma races other atrocities.” Miscarriage of Justice African American men and Live myself for fear of ‘Earlier this year, Jason Flom, a music manager who, in the reform of criminal justice for more than 20 years and Kim Kardashian West, whose criminal law defense reform have been working recently increased in size, said Hollywood producer Scott Budnick the Jones case ‘(Budnick is executive producer of Just Mercy, 2019 biographical drama about justice for the founder initiative Bryan Stevenson, whose organization works in the arm death shocked the convictions). Budnick was paved by the details and wanted to be involved in the case Prescott Jones; It was hit by Prescott past philanthropic efforts and thought that he could use his platform to raise awareness of the case. (Budnick says he learns later that a member of probation Oklahoma and Review Board at the Mississippi State University went where Prescott played in college, which he described as “glorious possibilities.”) You friends Budnick with Shannon Rotenberg, director of Faith Prescott battle ending Foundation; The group was on a call push connect early May of this year. Kardashian West, who tweeted in October 2019 on Jones’ application back forgiveness, drawing even more attention when I finished the call. Prescott asked questions about racial prejudice elements in the case and said he would lead at further investigation. The end of 2019 Budnick had projected only mercy for Oklahoma City Thunder and visited a home game. “It ‘s been clear to me that cultural influencers for the people of Oklahoma are black people who play on the field or throw a football field,” says Budnick. “Cultural Influencers are able to have a conversation without showing the finger. I think the athletes in these cities have a huge impact” Hunter, Attorney General of Oklahoma, who says not only asking for “the heart, the conscience or motivation” one of the celebrities involved athletes. He gives a number of them cheering. “I thought one of the means I had not ignore,” says Hunter. “But my position is that none of these people have had time to sit down with me and my team to go on record that goes beyond what is directly refuted some of the claims, the lawyers made by Mr Jones’. It is not a criticism of them. It ‘s just a statement. “Despite the hard line of the state, the carrier of an athlete like Prescott can still offer hope for a death row inmate. During a prison visit last week Baich Jones informed about the approval of Prescott and Jones gave him a happy surprise look. “I’m just in awe that he took the time to support Julius,” said Mother Jones’, Madeleine. “It ‘s really touching and renewed my faith.” Lawyers Jones’ have exhausted all appeals; the case is highly unlikely to return to the court. So the fate of Jones’ is in the hands of the Committee for the grace, switching it may recommend to the Governor, who then has to sign. Prescott, the tough battle ahead; He may lose his hand. But for the American athletes of this moment, so that they fight for their ideas they are still useful. “The treatment of Julius Jones the type of miscarriage of justice is how I live in fear, so I feel compelled to use the influence that God has blessed I turn to what I think is right and African American men that a vote to give able to speak for themselves, “writes Prescott at the end of his letter. “My prayer is that he is able to save what remains of his life and for the righting of a wrong decade-old, soon to be restored to his family.” Read below Prescott letter in full: Dear Governor Stitt and members of the Oklahoma clemency board, I write my full support expressed demand of the switching Julius Jones’. As a black man now in this country, I have experienced first hand injustice, day after day, just as an athlete with “celebrity status.” Current shine a light much needed rooted prejudices and systemic mistreatment of people of color, and it is my sincere hope that the cultural movements take today to significant social changes that create a better future. To this end, they are all in a unique position to be able to make a direct impact from a particular address miscarriage of justice. After controlling for this terrible crime, the facts of the case Julius Jones, I firmly believe, the wrong person will be punished; conducted a review of the continuous process that Mr. Jones’ conviction raises serious ethical and legal concerns. I implore you to right this injustice. Please do not use other innocent black man dies leave from systemic abuses that plagued our nation for too long. And ‘my firm belief that Julius Jones’ conviction and death sentence is a blatant injustice. Mr. Jones is 20 years on death row, despite the statements written by his defense attorneys how they describe it failed in court. Mr. Jones’ photos lawyers never present nine days before the crime they have that clarity could have provided through the contactors description. They were appointed without any experience in death penalty cases, and not even present alibi Mr. Jones’ court. In addition, a member of the jury (11 white members from the existing 12) confirmed that the animus jury races is – zuzugab that inappropriate and biased statements were made by other jurors during the trial, including the use of racial slurs. Treatment Julius Jones is the kind of African American men miscarriage of justice, I live in fear, so I feel compelled to use the influence that God has blessed I turn to what I think is right and to find a voice for those who do not they can speak for themselves. If Julius Jones’ is a clear example of what can go a people who can not afford legal representation, and what can happen in this country for a black person at all times – this is exactly why so many complain for the changes we so desperately need. I ask you to do like take your part in helping with this change, giving them sincere and careful consideration for a switching application Julius Jones contributions’. My prayer is that he is able to save what remains of his life and the old one by righting the wrong decade, he soon found his family. Sincerely, copyright Dakota Rayne “Dak” Prescott Dallas Cowboys
pictures of Kevork Djansezian-Getty Images