James Jordan, father of basketball legend Michael Jordan, was found murdered in his car on a North Carolina highway in July 1993. It was a crime that sent shockwaves throughout the community and the sports world.
Mr. Jordan was killed during what appeared to be a robbery, with the motive initially believed to be related to his car. He was shot to death while he slept. His red Lexus SC400 was stolen.
Jordan’s body was later found in a swamp in South Carolina.
The murder was deeply shocking because of James Jordan’s high profile as the father of one of the most famous athletes in the world, making the event not only a personal tragedy for the Jordan family but also a widely felt loss.
Nobody will ever forget the images of the Hall of Fame basketball player collapsing on the floor in tears after winning his fourth NBA championship on Father’s Day in 1996 and dedicating it to his late father.
“I know he’s watching. To my wife and kids, to my mother, brother and sister, this is for Daddy,” he said.
Father’s Day, 1996:
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 21, 2020
Michael Jordan collapses on the floor in tears after dedicating his fourth championship to his father, who was murdered in 1993.
"I know he’s watching. … This is for Daddy." pic.twitter.com/kjagJO0hDL
One Of The Killers Says He’s Innocent In Michael Jordan’s Father’s Murder
Daniel Green and Larry Demery were both convicted of murdering Michael Jordan’s father, with Demery testifying that Green was the shooter.
Both men were sentenced to life in prison in 1996.
Green has professed his innocence since that time. During a 2018 prison interview, he said, “I’ve never killed anybody. I didn’t kill James Jordan. I’m innocent. I’m innocent of murder.”
And subsequently, doubts about the conviction’s fairness have emerged. Notably, a forensic blood analyst’s findings, which could have cast doubt on the prosecution’s narrative, were not disclosed during the trial.
‘Blood’ found in the car apparently came back from testing as either negative or inconclusive for blood. Which seems like a pretty significant development that should have been revealed during the trial.
RELATED: Friend Insists Michael Jordan, 61, In Good Health After Fans Worry About Yellow Eyes
Judge Thinks The Convicted Killer Should Be Released
In another recent shocking development, the judge from the original trial, Gregory Weeks, has petitioned for Green’s release, citing this withheld evidence.
Weeks told the North Carolina Parole Commission that the case has haunted him for nearly three decades.
The fact that the judge who “presided over my trial asked that I be paroled is significant,” Green told ABC News. “It speaks volumes about this case, and I’m overwhelmingly grateful.”
Green claims he agreed to take part in the robbery but did not shoot Michael Jordan’s father.
“Every day I live with the remorse and the pain and the suffering caused by my youthful decisions,” he wrote in a letter to the commission. “I regret the harm my actions inflicted on the Jordan family.”
The Parole Commission is currently debating Green’s case and is expected to do so for at least a month.
More about:NBA News