Julius Jones: Kim Kardashian reveals details of phone call as Oklahoma governor halts execution

Reverend Cece Jones-Davis, founder of the Justice for Julius movement, is with the Jones family. She tweets: “I’m with the Jones family at their last visit with Julius Jones unless Governor Kevin Stitt intervenes. This is evil. Don’t you ever believe that any of this is God’s Will.”

“Y’all know Mama Jones is the strongest woman in the world. Today, her eyes are closed in the back seat. I asked how she was doing. She said, ‘I’m empty inside. I feel invisible.’”

John Kevin Stitt is the 28th governor of Oklahoma. A Republican, he has been in office since January 2019 having won the 2018 election.

He was formerly the chairman and CEO of Gateway Mortgage Group and touted his business acumen in his run for office. During his campaign, he called himself “the only job creator with proven business experience” running for governor.

Mr Stitt received support from Senator Ted Cruz and former senators Rick Santorum and Tom Coburn. He was endorsed by then-president Donald Trump, and vice president Mike Pence campaigned for him.

With regards to capital punishment in the state, Oklahoma has conducted the third-most executions since the death penalty was reinstated in Gregg v. Georgia (1976). However, in 2015, a moratorium was placed on all state executions following the botched execution of Clayton Lockett in April 2014 and the execution of Charles Warner by unauthorized methods in January 2015.

On 13 February 2020, Governor Stitt announced that the moratorium would be lifted.

Mr Stitt drew national attention several times during the Covid-19 pandemic, first by posting a photo of himself eating at a packed restaurant with two of his children as much of the country locked down. He later deleted the tweet.

In April he placed a massive order of hydroxychloroquine, the drug heavily promoted by the president as a cure for coronavirus with no evidence to suggest it was an effective treatment. In January of 2021, the state attempted to return $2m with of its stockpile.

The governor also attended the infamous Trump rally in Tulsa on 20 June and was seen not wearing a mask. The indoor rally turned into a superspreader event, though the governor was not infected.

On 15 July 2020 he announced that he had tested positive for Covid-19 becoming the first governor to be diagnosed with the virus.

Mr Stitt is a member of the Cherokee nation, the first tribally enrolled Native American to serve as governor of a US state, and Oklahoma’s second governor of Native descent after Johnston Murray. He grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in accounting. He and his wife, Sarah Stitt, have six children.

Julius’ sister, Antoinette Jones, told TMZ that Kim Kardashian has been in touch with the family in recent days to see how they’re holding up — but more importantly, to get a pulse on how Julius himself is handling the dire situation.

Antoinette also said she appreciates how Kim’s posts have mobilised so many people and made so many aware of the situation.

Read Kim’s heartfelt Twitter posts below.

Shardaa Gray of Fox 25 writes: “In case you’re wondering, we did receive an invitation from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for Julius Jones’ scheduled execution.”

“The time of execution is scheduled for 4 PM, about the same time as John Grant,” she continues.

“5 media witnesses are allowed to view the execution,” Ms Gray writes, clarifying: “One seat is reserved for a local media representative in the town where the crime was committed, one is reserved for a representative with the Associated Press, and the three remaining seats will be determined through a lottery-style pick.”

Students at John Marshall High School in Oklahoma City have walked out of classes and will remain on the football field until the end of the school day in support of Julius Jones.

Some 200 students have gathered and will hold a 22-minute silence for Jones. School officials report the entire school of grades 9 through 12 is staging the walkout.

Students at a second Oklahoma City high school have also walked out in support of Julius Jones.

At least six high schools have seen students walk out in support of Julius Jones.

OKPCS supports our students’ right to peaceful assembly and their freedom of expression. We have worked closely with students and student groups who wished to assemble today so we could provide them with a safe space to express themselves regarding an issue they are passionate about. Our top priority is always to support the academic and social-emotional needs of our students while maintaining a safe and orderly learning environment.

A campaign fundraiser for the governor that was scheduled for today was cancelled according to Governor Stitt’s campaign manager.

She says the Governor is “fully focused” on the clemency decision.

The NAACP has reacted to the widespread protests by high school students across Oklahoma City.

A tweet from the organisation reads: “Governor Stitt even the youth in your state can recognize the wrong that you have the power to change TODAY! Honour their demonstration, his family, the millions of supporters across this nation and the recommendation of your Parole Board for clemency for Julius Jones.”