Julius Jones' sister, best friend happy his voice is finally being heard with 20/20 special

REPORTER: THAT IS RIGHT. I SPOKE TO HIS SISTER AND HIS BEST FRIEND TONIGHT. HIS BEST FRIEND, WHO WAS ALSO IN THAT 20/20 SPECIAL, TELLS ME SPOKE TO JULIUS LAST WEEK ABOUT THIS AND HE SAYS JULIUS IS EXCITED HIS VOICE IS FINALLY BEING HEAR >> ONCE EVERYBODY GOT WIND OF THE STORY IT JUST TOOK OFF LIK GRASS ON FIRE. NOW YOU GOT SOME MAJOR HEAVY HITTERS LIKE KIM KARDASHIAN JOINING THE MOVEMENT AND SINCE THEN IT’S BEEN GROWING AND GROWING. REPORTER: JIMMY LAWSON IS NO STRANGER TO ADVOCATING FOR HIS LIFE-LONG BEST FRIEND JULI JONES. IT’S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE LAWSON WAS FEATURED ON THE ABC DOCUSERIES "THE LAST DEFENSE AND NOW AGAIN ON THE UPDATED VERSION FOR 20/20. >> THE LAST DEFENSE DID WONDERS . HE GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY AND JULIUS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE REAL STORY. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT JULIUS’S STORY, HIS CASE, THE INJUSTICES IN HIS CAKE -- CASE. REPORTER: I ALSO SPOKE TO HIS SISTER ANTOINETTE JONES. SHE SAYS HAVING HER BROTHER’S CASE IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT IS VITAL BECAUSE SHE TELLS ME THE TRIAL, NO ONE, NOT JULIUS OR HIS LOVED GOT TO TESTIFY. ONES,> THAT IS THE WHOLE POINT. HE NEVER GOT A PROPER DEFENSE. REPORTER: SHE SAYS THE FAMILY IS IN HER BROTHERS CASE INCLUDING FROM SOME A LIST CELEBRITIES. >> IT’S A COMFORT BECAUSE YOU KNOW FOR A LONG TIME HE DIDN’T HAVE ANY ADVOCATES JUST JIMMY , AND I AND MAYBE A FAMILY MEMBERS. REPORTER: BUT SHE TELLS ME THEY STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO. >> WE STILL GOT TO KEEP FIGHTING AND KEEP PUSHING HIS STORY AND KEEP TELLING OTHERS ABOUT HIS STORY. REPORTER: SOMETHING ELSE TO NOTES. THERE IS NOW OVER 6 MILLION SIGNATURES ON A PETITION TO GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT AND THE PARDON PAROLE BOARD TO GET

The fight to get Oklahoma inmate Julius Jones off death row continues on the national stage.Jones was convicted and sentenced to death in 1999 for the killing of Edmond businessman Paul Howell but still maintains his innocence to this day. Jones’ case was displayed Tuesday night on a special edition of ABC’s 20/20. KOCO 5 spoke with Jones’ sister and best friend. Jimmy Lawson said he spoke to Jones last week about the special, saying he’s excited is voice is finally being heard.“Once everybody got wind of the story, it just took off like grass on fire,” Lawson said. “Now, you got some major heavy hitters like Kim Kardashian joining the movement. And since then, it’s been growing and growing.”Lawson is no stranger to advocating for his lifelong best friend. It’s been two years since Lawson was featured on the ABC docuseries “The Last Defense” and now, again, on the updated version for 20/20.“‘The Last Defense’ did wonders. It gave us an opportunity and Julius an opportunity to tell the real story,” Lawson said.“A lot of people still don’t know about Julius’ story, his case, the injustices in his case,” Julius Jones’ sister, Antoinette Jones, added.Antoinette Jones said having her brother’s case in the national spotlight is vital because she told KOCO 5 that at the trial, no one – not Julius Jones or his loved ones – got to testify.“That’s the whole point. He never got a proper defense,” Antoinette Jones said.She said the family is grateful for the growing support in her brother’s case, including from some A-list celebrities.“It’s a comfort because, you know, for a long time he didn’t have any advocates, just Jimmy and I and, maybe, family members,” Antoinette Jones said.But she said they still have a long way to go.“We still got to keep fighting and keep pushing his story and keep telling others about his story,” Antoinette Jones said.A petition to Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Pardon and Parole Board to get Julius Jones off death row has about 6 million signatures. The petition can be found here.

The fight to get Oklahoma inmate Julius Jones off death row continues on the national stage. Jones was convicted and sentenced to death in 1999 for the killing of Edmond businessman Paul Howell but still maintains his innocence to this day. Jones’ case was displayed Tuesday night on a special edition of ABC’s 20/20. KOCO 5 spoke with Jones’ sister and best friend. Jimmy Lawson said he spoke to Jones last week about the special, saying he’s excited is voice is finally being heard. “Once everybody got wind of the story, it just took off like grass on fire,” Lawson said. “Now, you got some major heavy hitters like Kim Kardashian joining the movement. And since then, it’s been growing and growing.” Lawson is no stranger to advocating for his lifelong best friend. It’s been two years since Lawson was featured on the ABC docuseries “The Last Defense” and now, again, on the updated version for 20/20. “‘The Last Defense’ did wonders. It gave us an opportunity and Julius an opportunity to tell the real story,” Lawson said. Julius Jones’ mother, advocates call for his story to be heard more than 20 years after conviction “A lot of people still don’t know about Julius’ story, his case, the injustices in his case,” Julius Jones’ sister, Antoinette Jones, added. Antoinette Jones said having her brother’s case in the national spotlight is vital because she told KOCO 5 that at the trial, no one – not Julius Jones or his loved ones – got to testify. “That’s the whole point. He never got a proper defense,” Antoinette Jones said. She said the family is grateful for the growing support in her brother’s case, including from some A-list celebrities. “It’s a comfort because, you know, for a long time he didn’t have any advocates, just Jimmy and I and, maybe, family members,” Antoinette Jones said. But she said they still have a long way to go. “We still got to keep fighting and keep pushing his story and keep telling others about his story,” Antoinette Jones said. A petition to Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Pardon and Parole Board to get Julius Jones off death row has about 6 million signatures. The petition can be found here. Baker Mayfield writes letter in support of having Julius Jones' sentence commuted