Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran, was executed in Mississippi on Wednesday after spending nearly five decades on death row for the 1976 murder of Edwina Marter, a mother of two young children. The execution followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of Jordan’s remaining appeals and the rejection of his clemency request by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. Jordan, who served three tours in Vietnam, was sentenced to death in 1976 for the kidnapping and murder of Edwina Marter, a bank loan officer’s wife, during a ransom scheme. His case has been marked by multiple trials and appeals, with his defense team arguing that he was denied proper mental health representation and his Vietnam experiences were not adequately considered during his sentencing. Jordan’s execution has sparked discussions about the fairness of the death penalty and the long legal battles faced by those on death row. He is one of 22 individuals across the United States still awaiting execution for crimes committed in the 1970s, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
The case has also drawn attention to the broader legal challenges surrounding capital punishment. Jordan’s defense team, represented by Krissy Nobile of Mississippi’s Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel, argued that Jordan was never provided an independent mental health professional to assist his defense, which they claimed prevented his jury from fully understanding his Vietnam-related PTSD. The defense team claimed that this lack of mental health support during the trials contributed to the wrongful conviction or the imposition of a death sentence. Eric Marter, the son of the victim, expressed his frustration over the prolonged legal process, stating that the execution should have occurred long ago. He and his family did not attend the execution, with Marter saying that he had no interest in giving Jordan the benefit of the doubt. Jordan’s execution is seen as a significant moment in the ongoing debate about the death penalty’s fairness and the role of mental health in criminal justice proceedings.
Jordan’s crime began in January 1976 when he called the Gulf National Bank in Gulfport, requesting to speak to a loan officer. After he was connected to Charles Marter, the loan officer, Jordan hung up and proceeded to locate the Marters’ home using a telephone book. He then kidnapped Edwina Marter, took her to a forest, and fatally shot her. He called her husband, claiming that she was safe, and demanded $25,000 in ransom. The execution of Jordan, who had faced four trials and numerous appeals, underscores the complexities and controversies of capital punishment in the United States. With the U.S. Supreme Court refusing to grant him further appeals, Jordan’s case has now concluded, with his life ending after nearly 50 years of imprisonment. The execution highlights the ongoing legal and ethical questions surrounding the death penalty and the challenges faced by individuals on death row in seeking justice.