Larry Demery, who was convicted of robbing and murdering James Jordan, father of NBA legend Michael Jordan, has been paroled and will be released from prison in three years.
Here are some of the most shocking facts about his case:
Last day alive
James Jordan was returning from a funeral on July 23, 1993 when he pulled over on a North Carolina highway to take a nap.
Killed for his car
Michael had recently purchased his father a flashy red Lexus SC400, which two 18-year-old men spotted as they were passing.
Theft and murder
Daniel Green and Larry Demery shot Jordan while he was asleep in the car, then stole his vehicle.
Man convicted in death of #MichaelJordan's dad to be paroled https://t.co/5lqAIOZQWg pic.twitter.com/aMG8KSfozf
— WTKR News 3 (@WTKR3) August 19, 2020
Body found
On August 3rd, Jordan’s body was found in a South Carolina swamp. It was badly decomposed, and not able to be identified until the 13th. James Jordan was identified by dental records, as the coroner’s office had cremated his body due to lack of space.
http://www.nature.nps.gov/nnl/registry/usa_map/states/michigan/NNL/DSS/images/Dead_Stream_Swamp_MI.jpg
Joy Ride
Demery and Green drove around in Jordan’s car for days, making several calls from his car phone, which would result in their quick capture.
Michael Jordan’s rare sneakers fetch $615,000 at auction https://t.co/O2zzimOlfD #michaeljordan pic.twitter.com/BmF14vEi6v
— Telugu Bullet (@telugubullet) August 14, 2020
Personal Items
Jordan’s killers realized he was the NBA superstar’s father when they found two championship rings that Michael had gifted to him.
The Last (Engineering) Dance
by @shai_mendel https://t.co/mMx8vYOCVR#EngineeringManagement #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #TheLastDance #MichaelJordan pic.twitter.com/f2UOOa8BKm— Coding Sans (@codingsans) August 17, 2020
Trial
Demery fingered Green as the triggerman, claiming that they had planned to tie Jordan up, but Green had shot and killed him for no reason.
Sentencing
Both men were sentenced to life in prison, as the death penalty was prohibited from use.
Green’s appeal
The Center on Actual Innocence claims that Green did not commit the murder, but helped Demery dispose of Jordan’s body, and motioned for a new trial. Green claims he was at a cookout with Demery, who left for a drug deal, then returned later asking for his assistance moving the body to a swamp. He alleges that Demery mistook Jordan for his drug connection and shot him. Green admitted to helping dump Jordan’s body off of a bridge in South Carolina. In March of 2019, a judge ruled that he would not grant another hearing.
Convicted Murderer In Killing of #MichaelJordan ‘s Dad Granted Parole In 2023 https://t.co/ab6EbsGEYS pic.twitter.com/ZIyGbswNAD
— Tracy C (@TheTraceC) August 18, 2020
Parole
Demery pleaded guilty to armed robbery and first-degree murder in 1995. He was sentenced to life plus forty years, which was reduced to just life in prison in 2008 after a sentencing error was revealed. The reduced sentence allowed him to become eligible for parole.
Michael Jordan is a good man who has a good relationship with GOD. He knows that no matter what happens, that man will pay for his crimes when he goes before GOD for judgement. Any FUTURE crimes committed by that individual will sit squarely on the heads of those who release him.
and this is why there should be a death penalty
What a Game Liberal judges have turned murder into. Life + 40 years – but later argued to be a sentencing error….but then reduced to life for murdering a person for their car.
So now we know that Michael Jordan’s dad and the stolen car were just ingredients, the murder victim was just an ingredient to catch the perpetrator and to get the perpetrator back on the streets. That is how this case has turned out to be.