Families, Supporters Cope With Lengthy Legal Battle As 5 Death Row Inmates File Appeal

A request for stay of execution by five death row inmates was denied Monday in federal court in Oklahoma City.

Scheduled executions will continue as planned until a 10th Circuit Court of Appeals steps in. 

This comes as the families of victims, and the individuals on death row, are having to hang on through a lengthy and heart-wrenching process. 

In court on Monday, a woman who said she was close to victims of death row inmate Gilbert Postelle passed a note to reporters. 

Postelle killed four people in 2005.

“Any way he is executed is way more humane than how they were killed,” the note said.

Nearly 15 years have passed since Amy Wright, 26, was murdered alongside three others in Oklahoma City.

Wright’s uncle, Larry Lyles, spoke with News 9 last year as the courts were deciding if executions would continue. 

“Did they care about their victims’ feelings whenever they did the crime? Did they care about the victims suffering? No, they didn't care. So once you’re on the slab to be executed, that’s just part of it,” Lyles said. 

Meanwhile, as victims await their justice, campaigns to save the life of Julius Jones, on death row for the killing of Edmond father Paul Howell, have garnered national attention. 

Advocates have been petitioning for his innocence and have high hopes for his clemency hearing.

“We’re looking forward to a fair opportunity for Julius for the first time, for him to be able to tell his own story in the public, which I think he deserves that,” said Tiffany Dena Loftin, senior advisor for the Grassroots Law Project.

All five plaintiffs filed an appeal Monday afternoon of the judge’s decision to the 10th Circuit Court. 

This is on hopes of stopping scheduled executions. There’s one planned on Thursday for John Grant. 

Julius Jones' execution is scheduled in about three weeks.

He is expected to speak at a clemency hearing which has been rescheduled to Monday, Nov. 1.