After decades of legal battles, Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war, was executed in Mississippi on Wednesday. Jordan, who was sentenced to death in 1976 for kidnapping and murdering Edwina Marter, a mother of two children, had been on death row for nearly 50 years. His defense team contended that he lacked proper mental health support during his trials, which affected the jury’s ability to fully understand the impact of his PTSD and military experiences. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Jordan’s appeals, and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves rejected his clemency request, paving the way for the execution.
Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran, was executed on Wednesday in Mississippi after spending nearly 50 years on death row for the 1976 murder of Edwina Marter, a mother of two children. Jordan, who had served three tours in Vietnam, was sentenced to death in 1976 for the kidnapping and murder of Marter, a bank employee’s wife. The execution followed four trials and a lengthy appeals process, with Jordan’s legal team arguing that he was denied proper mental health representation, which led to a jury unaware of the impact of his PTSD and Vietnam experiences.
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Jordan’s remaining appeals Wednesday, with no comment provided by the court. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also rejected Jordan’s request for clemency, leaving no further appeals available. The execution took place at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, where Jordan spent much of his time awaiting the verdict. Marc McClure, the superintendent of the Mississippi State Penitentiary, reported that Jordan had the opportunity to visit with family, lawyers, and spiritual advisers in the days leading up to the execution.
Eric Marter, the husband of the victim, and his two sons were not present at the execution, as they opted to avoid the proceedings.