Dallas Cowboys Quarterback Dak Prescott Calls for Release of Black Death Row Inmate Julius Jones

“As a black man in this country right now,” Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott writes in a letter to Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt and the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board, “I experience injustices firsthand day in and day out, even as an athlete with ‘celebrity status.'” The letter, which was sent to the governor’s office and parole board on August 6 and obtained exclusively by TIME, advocates for the release of Julius Jones, a Black death row inmate in Oklahoma who was sentenced to death for the 1999 murder of Paul Howell, a white businessman from Edmond, an Oklahoma City suburb, during a carjacking. “Current events are shining a much-needed light on deep-seated prejudices and systemic mistreatment of black people, and it is my sincere hope that the cultural movements of today will lead to significant social changes that will create a better tomorrow,” writes Prescott, 27, who is entering his fifth NFL season. “To that end, you all are in the unique position of being able to make a direct impact by addressing a specific miscarriage of justice.” In this moment of national reckoning on racial injustice that has gripped the United States following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and many others, athletes have played a leading role in keeping hard conversations on race at the forefront of the national dialogue. Athletes have hit the streets to lead rallies against racial injustice. “Black Lives Matter” is inscribed on the NBA’s court during the season restart in Orlando; players have knelt, in unison, during the National Anthem to call attention to systemic racism. (Predictably, U.S. President Donald Trump on August 5 called the NBA’s kneeling “disgraceful.”) Athletes have even put careers on hold to fight for social justice—WNBA star Maya Moore, for example, stepped away from basketball, in her prime, to work on the case of Jonathan Irons, who was sentenced to 50 years in prison when he was 18 for allegedly murdering a white man in suburban St. Louis in 1997. The conviction was vacated in March; in early July, Irons walked out of a Jefferson City, Mo. prison, at 40-years-old, after being incarcerated for 23 years. Moore was there to greet him. The Julius Jones case has received widespread attention. A Viola Davis-produced docu-series that aired on ABC in 2018, The Last Defense, covered it in-depth, while the Julius Jones Coalition has helped draw more than 6 million signatures to a Change.org petition calling for Jones, who earned an academic scholarship to Oklahoma University before his conviction, to be freed. High-profile athletes with ties to Oklahoma, like former OU basketball stars Blake Griffin of the Detroit Pistons and Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks, as well as Buddy Hield of the Sacramento Kings, ex-Oklahoma City Thunder standout Russell Westbrook, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield have written letters to state officials on Jones’ behalf. Prescott’s involvement stands to raise the case’s profile even higher. Quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, long known as “America’s Team” and the world’s most valuable sports franchise, is one of the most high-profile athletic positions on the planet. (Prescott’s a talented two-time Pro Bowler; his long-term contract status with the Cowboys will be a major storyline of the upcoming NFL season.) “It’s important for Oklahomans to know that people outside of the state are paying attention to Julius’ case and concerned about the injustices that occurred,” says Dale Baich, Jones’ defense attorney. Not long ago, the front-facing player of one of America’s iconic sports teams would be advised to steer clear of a capital murder case, which inflames passions on all sides—from criminal justice advocates who believe a racist system is stacked against Julius Jones, and those who believe that family of Paul Howell, who was gunned down in front of his home in the presence of sister and two young daughters, also deserves justice. The old athlete’s playbook was clear: stay in your lane, don’t offend anyone, and collect fat corporate endorsement checks. But in 2020, that strategy seems woefully dated, and athletes are stepping out like never before. “After reviewing the facts of the Julius Jones case, I firmly believe the wrong person is being punished for this terrible crime; furthermore, an evaluation of the process that led to Mr. Jones’ conviction raises serious legal and ethical concerns,” Prescott wrote in his letter. “I implore you to right this wrong. Please don’t let another innocent black man die from the systemic mistreatment that has plagued our nation for far too long. Click here for the full article: https://time.com/5875257/dak-prescott-dallas-cowboys-julius-jones/