Latest news with #MarshaJordan
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Yahoo
Execution completed by lethal injection for Mississippi murderer Richard Jordan at Parchman
PARCHMAN, Miss. — Richard Jordan, who spent nearly half a century on Mississippi's death row, was lying strapped to a gurney with his arms splayed out and covered in a white sheet up to his neck when the curtain to Unit 17 rose at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. Jordan was surrounded by four Mississippi Department of Correction officials, including Commissioner Burl Cain and Marc McClure, the regional superintendent. McClure asked Jordan if he had any last words, to which Jordan responded "yes." "First I would like to thank everyone here for a humane way of doing this," Jordan said as he looked at the ceiling. "I wish to apologize to the family. I ask that you forgive me for what I did, not forget, but forgive." Jordan then thanked his lawyer and his wife, Marsha, who was sitting and sobbing in the front-row behind the glass viewing area. Marsha was sitting with Krissy Nobile, director of the Mississippi Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, and Tim Murphy, Jordan's spiritual adviser. "I love you," Jordan said. "See you on the other side, all of you. Thank you." For the next eight minutes, the observation room was silent. Jordan's breathing initially slowed, then quickened briefly before slowing again. His eyes gradually closed, and his mouth fell slightly open. By 6:11 p.m., no chest movement was visible. Earlier, at 6:08 p.m., a man with sunglasses on and a blue hat had come into the room and rubbed Jordan's chest to do a consciousness check. U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate ruled last week that if Jordan remains conscious four minutes after receiving the first drug — a sedative — the state must stop the execution. "In my professional opinion, this person is unconscious," the man in sunglasses said. Cain told reporters at a press conference after the execution that "by law" MDOC officials were not allowed to identify the man who did the consciousness check. At 6:16 p.m., Jordan was pronounced dead. The curtain to Unit 17 then slowly closed. "It went as well and smooth as can go and again our hearts go out to the victim's family and to Richard's family," McClure said. McClure said Jordan's body has been claimed by Jordan's family. Jordan, who grew up in Petal, was sentenced to death in 1977 for the 1976 kidnapping and murder of Edwina Marter, a Gulfport bank executive's wife. He's lived on death row for 48 years, making him the state's longest-serving death row prisoner. At a 2 p.m. press conference, McClure described Jordan as 'talkative," saying he appeared "to be in a good mood' ahead of the execution. McClure also announced Jordan's last meal, which he ate at 4 p.m. Jordan requested chicken tenders, fries, strawberry ice cream and a root beer float for his last meal. In a previous interview with the Hattiesburg American, Marter's son, Eric, said he and his brother, Kevin, as well as his father, Charles, would not be attending Jordan's execution. "I don't really have any real desire to go basically and waste my time," Eric said in a phone interview. "I would [have thought] that this had been taken care of 35-40 years ago. It's been probably too long." Keith De Gruy, Edwina Marter's nephew who MDOC officials identified as a "family spokesperson," said a few words on behalf of Marter's family after the execution during a 7 p.m. press conference. "We are grateful this day has finally come even though it doesn't fill the void of Edwina being taken from our lives," De Gruy said. "She will forever be missed by her family and friends." On Monday, June 23, the U.S. Supreme Court denied Jordan's petition to review his case. The Supreme Court also failed to give Jordan a last-minute stay on Wednesday. Those decisions follow a flurry of appeals from Jordan's lawyers to try to halt the execution in recent weeks. Each have been denied. Additionally, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves denied Jordan's plea for clemency on Tuesday, June 24. "Richard lived by the quote that 'you cannot have both love and hate in your heart at the same time,'" Nobile said in an emailed statement after the execution. "Richard always strove to show love to those around him, and he found comfort in his last days in 1 Corinthians 13, which reminds us that a life without love, is no life at all." "Richard spent every day trying to make up for his crime. Until his last day, he sought only to help others. Richard, his family, and his counsel express their deep and sincere sympathy for the family of Edwina Marter." Outside the prison, anti-death penalty protesters gathered around 4:30 p.m. to denounce Jordan's execution and call for an end to capital punishment. A total of 11 protesters stood outside the prison. Sheila O'Flaherty, 79, was among them and said she's attended 'every execution that we've had.' She previously lived near Parchman, which made it easier to be present. Now living in Jackson, she still makes the trip to protest. "I just think it's wrong for the state to execute anybody," she said. "I have enough confidence that the state can keep the people safe, so why do you need to execute someone? He's a human being." Rev. Jeff Hood, a self-described death row spiritual advisor, was also standing outside the prison with the protesters. He previously told the Clarion Ledger that he would be outside Parchman "in protest but also in prayer." At 5 p.m., a lone protester stood in from of the Mississippi governor's mansion, holding a sign that read: "Murder 1, plus Murder 2 does not equal Justice or Peace." The solitary protester paced between the cameras and reporters of two TV stations. Jordan's execution is the 25th in the U.S. this year. A day prior, on Tuesday, June 24, Florida executed Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, by lethal injection at the Florida State Prison, making him the 24th. It was Florida's seventh of 2025 — the most of any state so far this year. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, no more than 24 people were executed in any year over the past five years — making 2025 already one of the deadliest years for executions in recent history. Capital punishment in MS: A history of executions in Mississippi. How many? What methods? What we know With Jordan's execution, Mississippi joined nine other states that have carried out executions in 2025. Those states include Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. This was Mississippi's first execution in three years. Thomas Loden, a convicted murderer and rapist, was executed in December 2022. Loden's execution also began at 6 p.m. He spoke his last words at 6:01 and was pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. No other executions in Mississippi are scheduled this year, according to the MDOC website. Mississippi currently permits four methods of execution: lethal injection, nitrogen hypoxia, electrocution and firing squad. While lethal injection remains the state's preferred method, a 2022 law removed the previously established order of alternatives, giving the Mississippi Department of Corrections discretion to choose among the legal options. Despite the legality of firing squads, the state has never used that method. Contact Charlie Drape at cdrape@ Staff Writer Lici Beveridge contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi execution of Richard Jordan after nearly 50 years on death row
The Guardian
26-06-2025
- The Guardian
Longest-serving person on Mississippi's death row executed
The longest-serving person on Mississippi's death row was executed Wednesday, nearly five decades after he kidnapped and killed a bank loan officer's wife in a violent ransom scheme. Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder whose final appeals were denied without comment by the US supreme court, was sentenced to death in 1976 for killing and kidnapping Edwina Marter. He died by lethal injection at the Mississippi state penitentiary in Parchman. The execution began at 6pm, according to prison officials. Jordan lay on the gurney with his mouth slightly ajar and took several deep breaths before becoming still. The time of death was given as 6:16pm. Jordan was one of several on the state's death row who sued the state over its three-drug execution protocol, claiming it is inhumane. When given an opportunity to make a final statement Wednesday, he said: 'First I would like to thank everyone for a humane way of doing this. I want to apologize to the victim's family.' He also thanked his lawyers and his wife and asked for forgiveness. His last words were: 'I will see you on the other side, all of you.' Jordan's wife, Marsha Jordan, witnessed the execution, along with his lawyer Krissy Nobile and a spiritual adviser, the Rev Tim Murphy. His wife and lawyer dabbed their eyes several times. During a news conference after the execution, Keith Degruy, a spokesperson for Marter's family, read a statement on behalf of her two sons and husband, who were not present at the execution. 'Nothing will bring back our mom, sister and our friend. Nothing can ever change what Jordan took from us 49 years ago,' he said. Jordan's execution was the third in the state in the last 10 years; previously the most recent one was carried out in December 2022. It came a day after a man was put to death in Florida, in what is shaping up to be a year with the most executions since 2015. Mississippi supreme court records show that in January 1976, Jordan called the Gulf National Bank in Gulfport and asked to speak with a loan officer. After he was told that Charles Marter could speak to him, he hung up. He then looked up the Marters' home address in a telephone book and kidnapped Edwina Marter. According to court records, Jordan took her to a forest and fatally shot her before calling her husband, claiming she was safe and demanding $25,000. As of the beginning of the year, Jordan was one of 22 people sentenced in the 1970s who were still on death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. His execution ended a decades-long court process that included four trials and numerous appeals. On Monday, the supreme court rejected a petition that argued he was denied due process rights. 'He was never given what for a long time the law has entitled him to, which is a mental health professional that is independent of the prosecution and can assist his defense,' said lawyer Krissy Nobile, director of Mississippi's Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, who represented Jordan. 'Because of that his jury never got to hear about his Vietnam experiences.' A recent petition asking the state's governor, Tate Reeves, for clemency echoed Nobile's claim. It said Jordan suffered severe PTSD after serving three back-to-back tours, which could have been a factor in his crime. Reeves denied the request. Eric Marter said he does not buy that argument: 'I know what he did. He wanted money, and he couldn't take her with him. And he – so he did what he did.'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Yahoo
Mississippi executes Richard Jordan; on death row for nearly 50 years
June 25 (UPI) -- Richard Jordan, the longest-serving death row inmate in Mississippi's history, Richard Jordan, was executed Wednesday night at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. Jordan, 79, was convicted and sentenced to death for the Jan. 12, 1976, kidnapping and murder of Edwina Marter, who was a stay-at-home mother of two young sons. It was Mississippi's first execution in three years. No other executions in Mississippi are scheduled this year, according to the MDOC website. He died by lethal injection and the time of death was 6:16 p.m. CDT, the Mississippi Department of Corrections said. The procedure by lethal injection began at 6 p.m. He was strapped to a gurney with his arms spread out and covered in a white sheet up to his neck, the Clarion Ledge reported. Jordan was surrounded by four Mississippi Department of Corrections officials. Marc McClure, the regional superintendent, asked Jordan if he had any last words. "First I would like to thank everyone here for a humane way of doing this," Jordan said as he looked at the ceiling. "I wish to apologize to the family. I ask that you forgive me for what I did, not forget, but forgive." Jordan then thanked his lawyer and his wife, Marsha, who was sitting and sobbing in the front-row behind the glass viewing area. Marsha was with Krissy Nobile, director of the Mississippi Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, and Tim Murphy, Jordan's spiritual adviser. "I love you," Jordan said. "See you on the other side, all of you. Thank you." The execution was carried out on an order from the Mississippi Supreme Court issued on May 1. Jordan was one of three on Mississippi's death row suing the state's three-drug protocol. The execution occurred about six months short of Jordan's 50th year in prison, and he sought a stay of execution. Jordan was first sentenced on July 21, 1976, followed by 1977, 1983, and 1998 in separate trials. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Jordan's remaining appeals Wednesday afternoon, and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves denied Jordan's request for clemency. Jordan chose chicken tenders, fries, strawberry ice cream and a root beer float for his last meal at 4 p.m., the Clarion Ledger reported. Previously he visited with his family, lawyers and spiritual advisers. He moved to a holding cell at 6 p.m. Death Penalty Information Center, a nonprofit organization that tracks executions throughout the U.S. Jordan's execution is the 25th in the U.S. this year. On Tuesday, Florida executed Thomas Lee Gudinas, 51, by lethal injection at the Florida State Prison. It was Florida's seventh of 2025 - the most of any state. Besides lethal injection, three are methods are available: nitrogen hypoxia, electrocution and firing squad. In 2015, a federal judge issued a temporary halt of executions in Mississippi in response to a complaint by death row inmates who say the state's lethal injection protocol is "excruciating." Sedatives pentobarbital and midazolam had been used. In 2021, Mississippi carried out the execution of David Cox by lethal injection, the first one in nearly a decade using midazolam, vecuronium bromide and potassium chloride. These are the current drugs used.
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Mississippi's longest-serving death row inmate's final words revealed as he is executed for 1976 murder
The longest-serving man on Mississippi ´s death row was executed Wednesday, nearly five decades after he kidnapped and killed a bank loan officer's wife in a violent ransom scheme. Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder whose final appeals were denied without comment by the US Supreme Court, was sentenced to death in 1976 for killing and kidnapping Edwina Marter. He died by lethal injection at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. The execution began at 6pm, according to prison officials. Jordan lay on the gurney with his mouth slightly ajar and took several deep breaths before becoming still. The time of death was given as 6:16pm. Jordan was one of several on the state's death row who sued the state over its three-drug execution protocol, claiming it is inhumane. When given an opportunity to make a final statement Wednesday, he said, 'First I would like to thank everyone for a humane way of doing this. I want to apologize to the victim's family.' He also thanked his lawyers and his wife and asked for forgiveness. His last words were: 'I will see you on the other side, all of you.' Jordan's wife, Marsha Jordan, witnessed the execution, along with his lawyer Krissy Nobile and a spiritual adviser, the Rev. Tim Murphy. His wife and lawyer dabbed their eyes several times. Jordan's execution was the third in the state in the last 10 years; previously the most recent one was carried out in December 2022. It came a day after a man was put to death in Florida, in what is shaping up to be a year with the most executions since 2015. Mississippi Supreme Court records show that in January 1976, Jordan called the Gulf National Bank in Gulfport and asked to speak with a loan officer. After he was told that Charles Marter could speak to him, he hung up. He then looked up the Marters' home address in a telephone book and kidnapped Edwina Marter. According to court records, Jordan took her to a forest and fatally shot her before calling her husband, claiming she was safe and demanding $25,000. Edwina Marter's husband and two sons had not planned to attend the execution. Eric Marter, who was 11 when his mother was killed, said beforehand that other family members would attend. 'It should have happened a long time ago,' Eric Marter said before the execution. 'I'm not really interested in giving him the benefit of the doubt.' 'He needs to be punished,' Marter said. As of the beginning of the year, Jordan was one of 22 people sentenced in the 1970s who were still on death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. His execution ended a decades-long court process that included four trials and numerous appeals. On Monday the Supreme Court rejected a petition that argued he was denied due process rights. 'He was never given what for a long time the law has entitled him to, which is a mental health professional that is independent of the prosecution and can assist his defense,' said lawyer Krissy Nobile, director of Mississippi´s Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, who represented Jordan. 'Because of that his jury never got to hear about his Vietnam experiences.' A recent petition asking Gov. Tate Reeves for clemency echoed Nobile's claim. It said Jordan suffered severe PTSD after serving three back-to-back tours, which could have been a factor in his crime. 'His war service, his war trauma, was considered not relevant in his murder trial,' said Franklin Rosenblatt, president of the National Institute of Military Justice, who wrote the petition on Jordan's behalf. 'We just know so much more than we did 10 years ago, and certainly during Vietnam, about the effect of war trauma on the brain and how that affects ongoing behaviors.' Marter said he does not buy that argument: 'I know what he did. He wanted money, and he couldn't take her with him. And he - so he did what he did.'
CBS News
26-06-2025
- CBS News
Mississippi executes Richard Jordan, state's longest-serving death row inmate, for 1976 murder
The longest-serving man on Mississippi's death row was executed Wednesday, nearly five decades after he kidnapped and killed a bank loan officer's wife in a violent ransom scheme. Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder whose final appeals were denied without comment by the U.S. Supreme Court, was sentenced to death in 1976 for killing and kidnapping Edwina Marter. He died by lethal injection at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. The execution began at 6 p.m., according to prison officials. Jordan lay on the gurney with his mouth slightly ajar and took several deep breaths before becoming still. The time of death was given as 6:16 p.m. Jordan was one of several on the state's death row who sued the state over its three-drug execution protocol, claiming it is inhumane. When given an opportunity to make a final statement Wednesday, he said, "First I would like to thank everyone for a humane way of doing this. I want to apologize to the victim's family." He also thanked his lawyers and his wife and asked for forgiveness. His last words were: "I will see you on the other side, all of you." Jordan's wife, Marsha Jordan, witnessed the execution, along with his lawyer Krissy Nobile and a spiritual adviser, the Rev. Tim Murphy. His wife and lawyer dabbed their eyes several times. Jordan's execution was the third in the state in the last 10 years; previously, the most recent one was carried out in December 2022. It came a day after a man was put to death in Florida, in what is shaping up to be a year with the most executions since 2015. Jordan's execution comes amid an overall uptick in the use of capital punishment in the U.S. since January. Four executions were carried out in Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and South Carolina earlier this month. The Trump administration seeks to resume death row executions at the federal level. President Trump signed an executive order on the first day of his second term stating, "capital punishment is an essential tool for deterring and punishing those who would commit the most heinous crimes." Wednesday's execution was Mississippi's first in three years. Thomas Loden, who pleaded guilty to raping and killing a 16-year-old girl, was executed in December 2022. Mississippi Supreme Court records show that in January 1976, Jordan called the Gulf National Bank in Gulfport and asked to speak with a loan officer. After he was told that Charles Marter could speak to him, he hung up. He then looked up the Marters' home address in a telephone book and kidnapped Edwina Marter. According to court records, Jordan took her to a forest and fatally shot her before calling her husband, claiming she was safe and demanding $25,000. Edwina Marter's husband and two sons had not planned to attend the execution. Eric Marter, who was 11 when his mother was killed, said beforehand that other family members would attend. "It should have happened a long time ago," Eric Marter told The Associated Press before the execution. "I'm not really interested in giving him the benefit of the doubt." "He needs to be punished," Marter said. As of the beginning of the year, Jordan was one of 22 people sentenced in the 1970s who were still on death row, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. His execution ended a decadeslong court process that included four trials and numerous appeals. On Monday the Supreme Court rejected a petition that argued he was denied due process rights. "He was never given what for a long time the law has entitled him to, which is a mental health professional that is independent of the prosecution and can assist his defense," said lawyer Krissy Nobile, director of Mississippi's Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, who represented Jordan. "Because of that his jury never got to hear about his Vietnam experiences." A recent petition asking Gov. Tate Reeves for clemency echoed Nobile's claim. It said Jordan suffered severe PTSD after serving three back-to-back tours, which could have been a factor in his crime. "His war service, his war trauma, was considered not relevant in his murder trial," said Franklin Rosenblatt, president of the National Institute of Military Justice, who wrote the petition on Jordan's behalf. "We just know so much more than we did 10 years ago, and certainly during Vietnam, about the effect of war trauma on the brain and how that affects ongoing behaviors." Marter said he does not buy that argument: "I know what he did. He wanted money, and he couldn't take her with him. And he — so he did what he did."
