Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield hopes current Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt will exercise his power to save the life of Julius Jones.
Jones, 41, is set to be executed on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. CT.
“Yeah, that is pretty rough to be honest with you,” Mayfield told reporters on Wednesday. “That’s not something that’s easy to talk about. I’ve been trying to get the facts stated and the truth to be told for a while, but it is tough to think about. Tried and tried. It is a shame that it has gotten this far. We are 24 hours away. So, it’s tough. You know, hopefully, God can intervene, and handle it correctly and do the things he needs to do.”
Last season, Mayfield displayed Jones’s name on the back of the quarterback’s helmet.
Jones has spent nearly 20 years on death row for the murder of Paul Howell, who was shot in a carjacking. A clemency petition argues that Jones’s situation arises from a “fundamental breakdowns in the system tasked with deciding” his guilt.
Via CNN, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted on November 1 to recommend clemency for Jones.
On Wednesday, students in Oklahoma City walked out of classes in support of Jones.
Stitt’s office has told pastor that he is in “deep prayer” regarding the situation.
Here’s the simple answer to that prayer. If there’s any doubt whatsoever, Stitt should delay an action that is irreversible.