Screening of “The Last Defense” examines case of Oklahoma death row inmate, Julius Jones

A free screening of the ABC documentary The Last Defense will be shown on Friday, October 26, on the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) campus in Edmond. The event will take place in the Communications Building, Bill Burke Film Screening Room 120, from 6 – 9 p.m.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.  Free parking is available in all lots (nearest are 4-7).

First airing last summer, three episodes of The Last Defense will be shown that evening focusing on Julius Jones, who is on Oklahoma’s death row (approx. 2 hours).

A discussion and Q&A will follow featuring panelists: Joi Miskel, former Oklahoma County Public Defender, now a criminal defense attorney at her own law firm; Jimmy Lawson, Rose State College adjunct professor and longtime friend of Julius Jones; Cece Jones-Davis, Sing for Change founder; and Rev. Don Heath, Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty chair.

Heath stated, “Julius Jones has firmly maintained his innocence while spending the last 19 years on death row. His story is finally heard in /The Last Defense/. People are moved and appalled when they watch the documentary. They can’t believe that things like this are still happening in Oklahoma.”

The first episode JULIUS JONES: The Crime  examines how in 1999, Jones, an African American 19-year-old student on scholarship at the University of Oklahoma, was arrested days after a businessman was shot to death during a car-jacking gone wrong in Edmond, Oklahoma.

“The second (The Trial) and third (The Fight) episodes explore police and prosecutorial misconduct in the case, racism in the criminal justice system, as well as during Julius’s criminal proceedings, and raises serious questions about whether Julius was wrongfully convicted,” stated Dale Baich, a member of Jones’ legal team.

According to Davis, the docu-series spotlights serious flaws in the American justice system – and in particular the high rate of exonerated death row inmates.

The Death Penalty Information Center states that since 1973, 163 individuals have been exonerated from death row in the U.S. Ten of those are from Oklahoma.

“After learning about Julius Jones’ story on The Last Defense and hearing directly from him, we are confident that when viewers see the final episode of his case, they will be shocked by the new information we have uncovered; information that his lawyers believe could ultimately compel the courts to revisit his case,” said London Square producer Gemma Jordan.

The event is sponsored by the UCO Master of Public Administration Program, Pi Alpha Alpha Global Honor Society for Public Affairs & Administration, the UCO Debate Club, Criminal Justice Club of UCO, and the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

“It’s important for Oklahomans to know the life and death issues that are before us,” Cece said. “If Julius Jones’ story is important enough for Hollywood to tell through The Last Defense, then we should be paying close attention.”

To learn more about The Last Defense, click here. For more information about Julius Jones, visit www.justiceforjulius.com.

The Gayly – October 24, 2018 @ 4:10 p.m. CDT.