Oklahoma governor grants clemency to Julius Jones

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has granted clemency to Julius Jones, commuting Jones' death sentence just hours before he was scheduled to be executed for a 1999 murder he says he did not commit. Jones' sentence will be commuted to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to an executive order filed Thursday.

Jones was scheduled to be executed at 4 p.m. CT at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Jones and his attorneys found out about the clemency at 12:45 p.m. CT while having their final visit.

The 11th-hour decision comes after years of protest over Jones' death sentence. He had been convicted of the 1999 murder of Paul Howell during a carjacking. Jones has been on death row for nearly 20 years, but he, his family, attorneys and supporters say he is innocent.

Jessica Watkins to Be First Black Woman on International Space Station Crew

When NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins launches to the International Space Station next year, her debut spaceflight will make history.

Watkins is set to become the first Black woman to join the space station crew, and live and work in space on a long-duration mission on the orbiting outpost. The agency announced Tuesday that Watkins will fly to the space station in April 2022, alongside NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Robert Hines and astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency.

They are slated to launch aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The mission, known as Crew-4, is expected to last six months.

Watkins, a geologist who earned an undergraduate degree from Stanford University and a doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles, will serve as a mission specialist during the Crew-4 flight.

[SOURCE: NBC NEW YORK]

2 Men Convicted Of Murdering Malcolm X To Be Exonerated

Two of the three men convicted of 1965 killing civil rights leader Malcolm X will soon be exonerated, Manhattan's district attorney announced Wednesday.

After a 22-month investigation, District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. found that authorities withheld evidence in the trial of Muhammad A. Aziz, 83, and the late Khalil Islam, who died in 2009, the New York Times reported. Both men spent over two decades in prison for a crime they vowed they did not commit.

Malcolm X, who was born Malcolm Little, was killed while giving a speech at New York's Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965. Aziz, Islam, and another man, Thomas Hagan, were convicted for the murder, but Aziz and Islam maintained their innocence.

However, Vance's investigation found that key physical evidence and documents were lost over the years, the murder weapons could no longer be tested, and many witnesses, investigators, and potential suspects have since died, the Times reported. FBI documents implicated other suspects and "pointed away" from Islam and Aziz, the report said.

"This points to the truth that law enforcement over history has often failed to live up to its responsibilities," Vance told the publication. "These men did not get the justice that they deserved."

[SOURCE: CBS NEWS]

Tanihja Harris Is missing

OPELIKA, ALABAMA-Police need your help in the search for a missing woman.

18-year-old Tanihja Harris was last seen on November 12 entering a dark colored Ford Focus that was traveling in the direction of Birmingham Highway.

Harris is described as a black female, approximately 5’1″ and weighs 114 lbs. She was last seen wearing a gray beanie, black hoodie, gray sweatpants, and black and white shoes.

If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Tanihja Harris, you are asked to contact the Opelika Police Department at 334-705-5200 or the Secret Witness Hotline at 334-745-8665. Authorities say tips can also be submitted through the Opelika Police Mobile App.

NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams Announces Run For NY Governor

Jumaane Williams, the elected New York City Public Advocate, formally announced his run for governor in next year’s election Tuesday, teeing up a crowded Democratic primary that will split votes between at least three candidates.

Williams has prepped for a potential run for governor for months now, creating an exploratory committee, and going on a statewide listening tour to hear from voters.

He announced his candidacy Tuesday through a campaign video, saying he’d be a change agent in Albany if elected. He’ll compete in a primary against Gov. Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and any other Democrat who decides to seek the governorship.

WATCH JUMAANE WILLIAMS ANNOUNCEMENT