A man convicted of murdering the father of NBA legend Michael Jordan nearly three decades ago may be released from prison soon.
Daniel Green is one of the two men who murdered James Jordan in 1993, and on review, the North Carolina Parole Commission could let him out early. The case has once again come under a microscope because of concerns over how the trial was carried out.
The Murder That Shocked the Nation
(Photo : FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
In July 1993, James Jordan had dozed off for a short nap in his car on a North Carolina highway. He was shot and killed by two teenage murderers, Daniel Green, and Larry Demery, who soon confessed to the crime, SportsKeeda looks back in its report.
The nation was stunned by the senseless murder of this man; Michael Jordan, who had long been an international icon on the court, was much pained by the incident to retire from the game for good the same year.
Daniel Green was convicted of felony murder in the first degree, for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment, in 1996. His colleague at the time, Larry Demery testified against him, saying that Daniel Green was the trigger man, a crucial aspect that sealed the conviction for Green. However, Daniel Green never committed the murder, and he only admitted to helping dispose of the body after the murder.
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Rising New Evidence that Enables Purging of Guilt
It has been almost thirty years since Green was sentenced, and there are issues now about the justness of that trial. The same judge who heard the first case has expressed regrets over his decision and is now urging Green to have freedom.
Weeks cites inconsistent evidence, as evidenced by unconcluded blood test results, as grounds to question the conviction.
"I had never been haunted in such a manner as he was haunted by this case," Weeks told the 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."
Pro-Green Freedom Campaign Intensifies
Such high-profile figures have been drawn to the case that even Rev. Thomas Jones, a local criminal justice advocate, was stirred to tears by Judge Weeks' plea for Green's release.
The North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence is calling for a new trial, partly due to what are deemed violations of Green's legal rights during the original proceedings.
Criminal justice advocate Rev. Thomas Jones was also moved by the judge's flea, according to The New York Post.
"When I heard the judge speak on his behalf, I was weeping. I was flabbergasted,"
Waiting Game for Justice
While the North Carolina Parole Commission deliberates in the decision-making process about Green's release, the case that brought so much attention to the end continues unabated. To make matters worse, it could take at least a month to reach a verdict when nearly 30 years of waiting might finally materialize.
James Jordan was not only a father but also an example of Michael Jordan's life and career, as the court deliberation nears its end, the world holds its breath and hopes that Daniel Green will get his second chance in life-with freedom.
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