Russell Westbrook Working to Free Oklahoma Man on Death Row

Rockets guard Russell Westbrook is one of many notable athletes working to free Oklahoma man Julius Jones, who is on death row after being convicted of first-degree murder in 2002.

The fight to free Jones began with the establishment of the Julius Jones Coalition in 2019. Westbrook, Blake Griffin and Trae Young are among those working to free Jones, as is Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Jones was convicted of murder following the death of 45-year-old Paul Howell, who was shot in his family's driveway in 1999. The suspect was described as a "a young black male wearing a white shirt, a skull or stocking cap, and a red bandana over his face," per ESPN's Royce Young, who detailed the effort to free Jones on Monday. Jones matched the description and was arrested, though he's maintained his innocence for the last two decades.

"As God is my witness, I was not involved in any way in the crimes that led to Howell being shot and killed," Jones wrote in his clemency report, per Young. "I have spent the past 20 years on death row for a crime I did not commit, did not witness and was not at."

Westbrook wrote a letter to the Oklahoma Governor's office on April 27, imploring the state to "review Julius Jones' commutation application and extend mercy towards him."

"[Jones'] conviction was tainted by a deeply flawed process," Westbrook wrote. "As more details come to light regarding his situation, I join with many voices to express sadness and profound concern regarding his conviction and death sentence."

Westbrook's letter to the Governor continues his social justice work throughout the NBA's coronavirus suspension. Houston's point guard raised money for the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles, and he donated 650 laptops to Houston students. Recently, Westbrook spoke both at the Compton Peace Walk and Tulsa's annual Juneteenth celebration.

Russell Westbrook: “I can reach that demographic of people and kids and let them know it's okay to stand up...It's going to be a struggle. It's not just -snap of a finger- going to change tomorrow. Just take it step by step. Whether it's protests, finding ways to bring light...” pic.twitter.com/UnZ23DKtEO
— Alykhan Bijani (@Rockets_Insider) June 21, 2020

All executions in Oklahoma were put on hold following a pair of mishandled executions in 2014 and 2015. If Jones is still in prison when the state resumes executions in 2020, "he will likely be one of the first in line," per Young.