MCALESTER, Okla. (KFOR) – Supporters of a man who they say is innocent of a horrendous crime are now asking for clemency.

In July of 1999, Edmond businessman Paul Howell was shot and killed in the driveway of his parents’ Edmond home. Investigators say the alleged suspect took off in Howell’s Suburban after killing the businessman.

At the time of the crime, Julius Jones was a 19-year-old honor student on a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma.

Jones was arrested and was put on trial for the murder. Jones never took the stand, and he was ultimately convicted and sentenced to death.

His supporters said his original defense team failed him, never even bringing up his alibi for the night of the murder.

However, Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater said those defending Jones have “disseminated misinformation and lies regarding the trial and evidence” in the case.

The Jones family has always maintained Julius’ innocence.

“As God is my witness, I was not involved in any way in the crimes that led to Howell being shot and killed,” Jones said in his clemency report. “I have spent the past 20 years on death row for a crime I did not commit, did not witness and was not at.”

In January of 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it would not get involved in the case when Jones’ attorney argued that people of color in Oklahoma are more likely to be sentenced to death when the victim in the case is white.

Weeks later, his attorneys filed a new appeal asking the court to consider evidence against a specific juror.

That juror is accused of using a racial slur when referring to Jones during the trial, and reportedly told another member of the jury that someone should shoot Jones ‘behind the jail.’

Defense attorneys say the judge in the case knew about the conversation, but didn’t remove the juror from the trial.

However, the Supreme Court still denied Jones’ petition for a judicial review.

“The U.S. Supreme Court twice declined to look at the issues in Julius’ case, issues related to racism,” Dale Baich, one of Jones’ federal defense attorneys, told News 4.

In recent months, Jones’ case has gained national attention with many people calling on state leaders to intervene.

Now, supporters are marching 131 miles from the Oklahoma State Capitol to McAlester.

Organizers say they are going to spend four days on the road to gather support for clemency for Jones.