Quintin Jones is scheduled for execution in Texas on May 19, 2021 for the 1999 murder of his great-aunt, Berthena Bryant. Learn more about this case here.

On May 19, 2021, Quintin Phillippe Jones is scheduled to be executed by the State of Texas for the 1999 murder of his great-aunt, Berthena Bryant. A grassroots effort is underway to seek a commutation of his death sentence to life in prison without any possibility of parole.

Jones has accepted full responsibility for his crimes and has repeatedly expressed profound remorse and regret. He committed the crime when he was 20 years old, after a tragic childhood of violence and abuse that was as nightmarish as anyone could imagine.

In the 20-plus years he has spent on death row, he has transformed himself into a decent, compassionate, thoughtful person.

A death sentence is often invoked as providing closure for the victims’ families, but the family of Jones’s victim is opposed to his execution. They have said that executing Jones will only cause them more suffering and that they recognize his remorse and have forgiven him.

Texas's aggressive execution schedule marks it as an outlier in its use of the death penalty while the majority of other states are on a downward trend of executions. In 2019, Texas accounted for 9 of the nation's 22 state executions, and in 2020 Texas was just one of two states that carried out an execution during the COVID pandemic. Depending in the outcome of other possible pending dates, this could be either the first or second execution of 2021.

Please sign the petition asking Governor Abbott and the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to do everything within their power to stop this execution, including issuing a stay, and seeking a path to clemency in the case.

Petitions will be delivered on your behalf at 5:00 pm noon Central Time on May 16th.

Additionally, you may reach out now to the Board at bpp_clemency@tdcj.texas.gov and the Governor at https://gov.texas.gov/contact/ and (512) 463-1782. You can simply leave a voice message, or choose to speak to a representative if you prefer.

Please note: In Texas, the Governor does have limited power when it comes to the death penalty. But the story we are told that "it's out of the governor's hands," is only true if we allow it to be. Yes, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles must recommend clemency in that state in order for the Governor to grant clemency (mercy) by commuting a death sentence. But the fact is that the governor appoints the members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. He can choose to appoint members who will take valid claims and concerns more seriously, instead of acting like rubber-stamping gate-keepers. He can still use his position of power and influence to enact justice in the State of Texas.