The judge overseeing the murder case of James Jordan, Michael Jordan‘s dad, is seeking the release of the convicted killer.
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In 1993, James Jordan was tragically murdered while sleeping in the passenger seat of his car in North Carolina. In 1996, Daniel Green was sentenced to life in prison by Judge Gregory Weeks. This was after co-defendant Larry Demery testified that Green pulled the trigger.
The judge who presided over the 1996 murder trial of James Jordan petitioned the state's parole commission to release the man he sentenced to life in prison. pic.twitter.com/ngJ0x372BF
— ABC11 EyewitnessNews (@ABC11_WTVD) October 16, 2024
However, Weeks has submitted a petition to North Carolina’s parole commission seeking Green’s release, per ABC News.
Rev. Thomas Jones, a dedicated advocate for criminal justice, actively lobbied for Green’s release. He was astonished by the judge’s comments to the commission.
“When I heard the judge speak on his behalf, I was weeping,” Jones admitted to ABC News. “I was flabbergasted.” Jones also conveyed that Weeks, the veteran judge, informed the commission that he had never been haunted in such a profound way as he was by this case.
Why the Judge is Rethinking the Fate of the Man Convicted of Murdering Michael Jordan’s Dad
The judge’s main concern about the verdict was that an analyst who testified in the case failed to mention that the blood tests from the vehicle were inconclusive or negative.
At the time of Jordan’s murder, Green, then 18, recounted to the outlet that his childhood friend and co-defendant, Demery, had left a cookout to engage in a drug deal. Upon returning, Demery allegedly asked Green for assistance in disposing of the body.
Jordan’s body was ultimately discovered in South Carolina, approximately 60 miles from his abandoned vehicle. Green confessed to helping Demery dispose of Jordan’s body. However, he denied any involvement in the murder itself.
At that time, prosecutors believed Jordan’s death resulted from a robbery gone awry.
Meanwhile, Green expressed his ongoing remorse in a letter to the parole commission.
“Every day I live with the remorse and the pain and the suffering caused by my youthful decisions. I regret the harm my actions inflicted on the Jordan family,” Green wrote.
A spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction informed ABC News that the commission is anticipated to deliberate for a minimum of one month regarding the potential release of Green.
Meanwhile, Weeks chose not to comment, stating that he would wait for the commission to reach its decision.