Judge Petitions For Release Of Convicted Killer Of Michael Jordan’s Father

Gregory Weeks, who presided over the trial of Daniel Green in 1996 has asked North Carolina’s Parole Commission to release the prisoner because of an omission during the trial.

A judge who participated in the murder trial of NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan‘s father, James, has recently requested that the man convicted of killing James be released from prison.

According to ABC News, Gregory Weeks, who presided over the trial of Daniel Green in 1996, has petitioned North Carolina’s parole commission to release the prisoner, who was convicted in Jordan’s murder. Green was sentenced to life in prison. After almost 30 years of imprisonment, Weeks has stated that a forensic blood analyst who was on the case did not disclose that a blood-like substance that was discovered inside Jordan’s vehicle might not have been his blood.

At the trial, that was omiitted by the analyst, Rev. Thomas Jones told the commission. The magistrate revealed that he had “never been haunted in such a manner” as he had been by the daunting case.

At the trial, prosecutors claimed that Jordan was sleeping in the passenger seat of his Lexus when Green approached the vehicle and shot him. This information was given to them by Larry Demery, Green’s co-defendant, who also said that Green was the one who pulled the trigger. Yet, the analyst never stated that other forensic tests collected from the car were negative or inconclusive for blood.

Newsweek reported that the then-18-year-old Green stated he was innocent of committing the murder, but he did help Demery in the handling of Jordan’s body after he was killed.

Daniel Green, who was 18 at the time of the crime, maintains his innocence in the murder itself while admitting his role in handling the body. But he did state his actions.

“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.”

A spokesperson for the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction told ABC News that the commission is expected to deliberate for at least one month before making its decision.

Jordan was killed while sleeping in his car on a North Carolina highway in July 1993.