Texas Court Reverses Long-Standing Death Sentence for Harris County Inmate
A significant turn of events has unfolded in Texas as the state’s highest criminal court has nullified the death sentence of Clarence Curtis Jordan, a 70-year-old man from Harris County. Jordan had been on death row since his conviction in 1978 for the murder of Joe L. Williams, a Houston grocer aged 40 at the time.
Jordan, identified as intellectually disabled, was declared incompetent for execution in the years following his conviction. However, for nearly 40 years, he had no legal representation to advocate on his behalf and remained largely neglected on death row.
In 2024, amidst efforts to address numerous delayed criminal appeals in Harris County, Jordan was assigned a new attorney. This revelation came as the county attempted to clear the backlog in its criminal courts, uncovering that some appeals had been stalled for over a decade.
As a result of renewed legal advocacy, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals decided to overturn Jordan’s death sentence in a recent ruling. The court has remanded the case to Harris County for a fresh punishment proceeding.
Jordan’s attorney, Ben Wolff, who also serves as the director of the Office of Capital and Forensic Writs, expressed gratitude for the decision. He noted the case highlights a “troubling truth” about the criminal justice system, where individuals in dire need of assistance are frequently “forgotten or cast aside.”
Wolff commented to The Texas Tribune, “It’s a really sad case,” emphasizing that Jordan has been on death row for nearly as long as he himself has been alive.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office acknowledged the court’s decision as a representation of justice, affirming that Jordan’s conviction remains intact. “This outcome does not lessen the harm caused to Joe Williams’ family and friends,” the office stated, stressing the importance of adhering to the law and ensuring fairness when a life is involved.
On Friday, the district attorney’s office indicated it would not pursue a new punishment proceeding. The 184th District Court, which originally convicted Jordan, has not yet responded to inquiries regarding subsequent steps.
Wolff noted that should the case extend beyond a simple resentencing, it would necessitate a transfer from his office, which focuses solely on post-conviction litigation for death row inmates. The alternative sentence for Jordan’s conviction, he stated, would be life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.
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This article was initially published by The Texas Tribune and disseminated through a collaboration with The Associated Press.
