Okla. Admin. Code § 1:2021-25
EXECUTIVE ORDER 2021-25
I, J. Kevin Stitt, Governor of the State of Oklahoma, pursuant to Article 6, Section 10 of the Oklahoma Constitution, hereby commute the death sentence of Julius Darius Jones to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, on the conditions that he shall never again be eligible to apply for, be considered for, or receive any additional commutation, pardon, or parole.
On November 1, 2021, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended that the Governor grant clemency to Julius Jones and commute his sentence of death to a sentence of life with the possibility of parole. Neither the Oklahoma Constitution nor Oklahoma law otherwise provided the Pardon and Parole Board with the authority to recommend that the sentence of death be commuted to life with the possibility of parole. The Oklahoma Constitution and other laws of the State also do not provide the Governor authority to grant any such recommendation. Article 6, Section 10 specifically withholds from the Governor authority to parole someone who has been sentenced to death or life imprisonment without parole.
The Governor has the power to grant commutations "upon such conditions and with such restrictions and limitations as the Governor may deem proper . . . ." I hereby place the following conditions upon this commutation:
Julius Darius Jones shall not be eligible to apply for or be considered for a commutation, pardon, or parole for the remainder of his life.
In addition to laws prohibiting the Pardon and Parole Board from recommending and the Governor from granting to Julius Jones life with parole, now or in the future, the Pardon and Parole Board's Rules prevent Jones from re-applying for commutation. Title 515, Chapter 15, Subchapter 15 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code states, "After receiving a favorable commutation of a sentence from the Governor, an Inmate is ineligible to apply for an additional commutation on the same sentence."
This Executive Order shall be forwarded to the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the Oklahoma Attorney General who shall cause the provisions of this Order to be implemented by all appropriate agencies of state government.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Great Seal of the State of Oklahoma to be affixed at Oklahoma City this 18 th day of November, 2021.
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA
J. Kevin Stitt
ATTEST:
Brian Bingman
Secretary of State
Okla. Admin. Code § 1:2021-25