Judge in Michael Jordan's Father's Murder Case Calls for Release of Convicted Killer
In a surprising development in the nearly three-decade-old case involving the murder of Michael Jordan's father, James Jordan, the judge who presided over the original trial is now advocating for the release of the man convicted of the crime.
Retired Judge Gregory Weeks, who oversaw the 1996 trial, has formally requested that the North Carolina state parole board release Daniel Green, the individual found guilty of killing James Jordan during a botched robbery in 1993.
Judge Weeks cited concerns that crucial evidence was not properly presented during the trial, particularly relating to forensic blood testing. According to Weeks, a forensic expert failed to disclose important findings, including that testing on apparent blood found in the car was either negative or inconclusive. Weeks believes this omission could have cast doubt on Green's guilt and possibly altered the outcome of the trial.
James Jordan was tragically shot and killed on July 23, 1993, while he slept in his car along a North Carolina highway.
Prosecutors claimed that Green, who was 18 years old at the time, approached the vehicle and opened fire, killing the elder Jordan. Green was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He is currently serving his sentence at Southern Correctional Institute in Troy, North Carolina.
Green, now 49, expressed gratitude for Judge Weeks' intervention, telling 'ABC News' by phone, "It speaks volumes about this case, and I'm overwhelmingly grateful." He described the judge's effort to secure his release as "significant."
The parole board is expected to deliberate over the case in the coming weeks, though a final decision on Green's release may take some time. Michael Jordan has not yet commented on the judge's unexpected request for Green's release.
