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Jordan was finally appointed a new attorney in 2024 as news
emerged that there were numerous delayed criminal appeals in
Harris County, some of which were lost for more than a decade.
The revelation came amid an effort by the county to reduce the
backlog in its criminal courts.
Following new legal advocacy, the Texas Court of Criminal
Appeals vacated Jordan’s death sentence in a Thursday ruling.
The panel also sent the case back to Harris County for a new
punishment proceeding.
Ben Wolff, Jordan’s attorney and director of the Office of
Capital and Forensic Writs, said his office is grateful for the
outcome. But the case also shows “a troubling truth” of the
criminal justice system that people most in need of help are
often “forgotten or cast aside,” he said in a statement.
“It’s a really sad case,” Wolff told The Texas Tribune. “He’s
been on death row basically as long as I’ve been alive.”
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday that
the overturning of Jordan’s death sentence is “what justice
looks like,” while adding that his conviction stands.
“This outcome does not lessen the harm caused to Joe Williams’
family and friends,” the office’s statement said. “When a life
is at stake, we must follow the law and ensure the process is
fair.”
The district attorney’s office said Friday that it is not going
to ask for a new punishment proceeding. The184th District Court,
where Jordan was convicted, didn’t immediately respond to the
Tribune’s question about next steps.
Wolff told the Tribune that the only other eligible punishment
for his conviction would be life in prison with the possibility
for parole. He added that his office, whose work is limited to
post-conviction litigation for death row inmates, would also
have to hand off Jordan’s case if the proceeding goes beyond a
simple resentencing.
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