Prisoner Julius Jones' Life Is Spared Hours Before Planned Execution Following Kim Kardashian's Valiant Efforts

On Thursday, just four hours before Jones was set to be put to death by lethal injection for a 1999 murder he claims he did not commit, Governor Kevin Stitt decided to spare the 41-year-old death-row inmate's life.

Jones has proclaimed his innocence for more than two decades, insisting he did not kill 45-year-old suburban Oklahoma City businessman Paul Howell in a carjacking.

According to Jones, he was framed by the actual perpetrator, Christopher Jordan, a high school friend and co-defendant who testified against him during his 2002 trial. Jordan was released from prison after 15 years.

Stitt's call comes a little over two weeks after the state's Pardon and Parole Board recommended the decision in a majority vote, with several members of the panel admitting that they had doubts about the evidence that led to Jones' conviction.

Kardashian, who has become a criminal justice warrior in recent years, has been one of the most famous and most vocal advocates for Jones. She used her massive online following to draw attention to the case and has stayed in touch with his family throughout the process.

"She's always been available to help and she's mobilized so many people to come out and post on their social media," Julius' sister, Antoinette Jones, said of the reality star. "She's a real one...she truly does care."

Minutes after the news was announced, Kim took to her Instagram Story to share several messages with her 264 million followers.

"Thank you so much Governor Stitt for commuting Julius Jones sentence to life without parole and stopping his execution today," she began. "I spent most of the day on the phone with Julius yesterday in between his lawyer meetings and family visitation which still are not [sic] contact visits. Meaning he cannot still hug his family members before being executed. He hasn't in over 20 years."

"While I was on the phone with him somebody came in the room to try to give him his anti-anxiety meds that you usually are forced to take before you are executed so that you can be more calm about the fact that you are about to be executed," she continued. "However Julius refused because he said he has a clear conscience and that gives him peace knowing he is innocent and did not want to be drugged up."

Kardashian went on to share some advice that Jones wanted her to pass along. "You have to always make sure you are doing the right thing," she explained. "Julius was hanging out with the wrong crowd and that landed him in the position he's in today. He said if you are doing something your mom wouldn't approve of then you shouldn't be doing it. It's that simple!"

She concluded her posts by thanking Stitt, the parole board and "everyone who used their voice and helped to save Julis's life today."