Julius Jones' family begs for clemency as controversial execution nears: "This is a state of emergency"

Julius Jones' family and supporters are begging the governor of Oklahoma to stop his execution, which is set for Thursday, amid questions about his conviction for a 1999 murder that he insists he did not commit. 

Jones will be put to death at 4 p.m. CT, unless Governor Kevin Stitt grants him a clemency application that was recently endorsed by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. Jones was sentenced to death almost 20 years ago for the murder of Paul Howell, whose family believes he's responsible and deserves to die.

But the 41-year-old inmate, who was 19 at the time of the killing, has always maintained his innocence and says he was home when Howell was murdered.