It was 1993. Michael Jordan was the biggest star on the planet, and then his world stopped. His father, James Jordan, disappeared after a funeral in North Carolina. When his body was found in a South Carolina swamp, the case became an instant media circus. Eventually, the law landed on two eighteen-year-olds: Daniel Green and Larry Demery.
They were childhood friends. They grew up in the same rural community. Now, decades later, one is a pariah and the other is a man claiming he’s the victim of a massive justice-system blunder.
If you think you know the story, you're probably missing the weirdest parts. Honestly, the "official" version is so messy it’s hard to believe a jury bought it without more questions. We’re talking about a case where the lead judge is now actually advocating for the release of the man he helped sentence to life. That doesn't happen every day.
The Night Everything Changed
The basic story goes like this: James Jordan was driving his red Lexus SC400—a gift from Michael—back to Charlotte after a funeral. He pulled over on the side of U.S. 74 near Lumberton to take a nap. He was tired. It was late.
According to the prosecution, Green and Demery walked up to the car, saw a target, and shot him in the chest. They stole the car, the rings, and everything else.
But wait.
Daniel Green has spent the last thirty years saying he wasn't there when the trigger was pulled. He admits he's no saint. He’s the first to tell you he helped dispose of the body. He even famously appeared in a video wearing James Jordan’s NBA All-Star ring and a gold watch. That’s the image that burned into the public's brain. It looked like a smoking gun, but Green says he only helped Demery after the fact because they were like brothers.
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Why Larry Demery Flipped
Larry Demery is the reason Daniel Green is in prison for murder. Basically, Demery took a plea deal. He testified against Green, claiming Green was the one who pulled the trigger. In exchange, Demery got a life sentence with the possibility of parole.
It was a classic "he said, he said" situation, but the jury believed Demery.
Demery’s parole history is its own saga. Back in 2020, people were shocked when he was actually granted a release date. He was supposed to get out in 2023. Then the date moved to 2024. Then, suddenly, the parole commission yanked it away. They cited "behavioral issues" or infractions inside the prison, though they were kinda vague about the specifics.
Demery remains a bit of a ghost. Unlike Green, who has given countless interviews and worked with the North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence, Demery has stayed mostly silent.
The Judge Who Changed His Mind
This is where the story gets really bizarre. Judge Gregory Weeks, the man who presided over the 1996 trial, is now pushing for Daniel Green’s release.
Think about that.
Weeks recently went to the parole commission and said something was wrong. Specifically, he pointed to a forensic blood analyst who didn't disclose a key fact during the trial: a blood-like substance found in the car might not have been James Jordan’s at all. In fact, initial tests were inconclusive.
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The judge basically admitted that if he had known the evidence was that shaky, he might have handled the trial differently. It's a huge development for Green's supporters. For years, they've argued there was no physical evidence—no DNA, no blood, no fingerprints—linking Green to the actual shooting. Just Demery's word.
The Questions That Won't Go Away
There’s a lot of noise about this case, even in 2026. People point to the "drug connection" rumors that have circulated for years. Was James Jordan just a random victim, or was there something else?
- The Phone Calls: Why did the teenagers make calls from the car phone to a man named Hubert Larry Deese?
- The Connection: Deese was a convicted drug trafficker and, get this, the son of the local sheriff at the time.
- The Alibi: Green had witnesses who said he was at a cookout miles away when the murder supposedly happened. The jury never really focused on that.
The "felony murder rule" in North Carolina complicates everything. Under that rule, if you're involved in a felony (like a robbery) and someone dies, you're equally guilty of murder even if you didn't pull the trigger. But Green’s whole argument is that he wasn't even involved in the robbery. He says he was a "stupid kid" who helped a friend hide a body after the crime was already done.
Where Things Stand Now
As of early 2026, the status of Daniel Green and Larry Demery is still in flux. Green has become a cause célèbre for criminal justice reform advocates. He’s not asking for people to think he’s a hero—he admits he did something terrible by helping hide James Jordan’s body—but he wants the murder conviction gone.
Demery is still behind bars, his parole dreams currently on ice.
If you want to understand the nuance of this case, you have to look past the 1990s headlines. It’s a story about two friends, a high-profile victim, and a legal system that might have been more interested in a quick conviction than the messy truth.
Actionable Insights for Following the Case:
- Monitor North Carolina Parole Commission Updates: Their decisions on Green and Demery are the only way either man walks free. Green's eligibility is a major point of contention right now.
- Review the "Follow the Truth" Podcast: This deep-dive investigation by WRAL is widely considered the most thorough modern look at the evidence Judge Weeks is now questioning.
- Study the Forensic Disclosures: Look for news regarding "SBIRT" (Substance Blood Identification) evidence protocols, as the failure to disclose these results is the core of Green’s current legal push.
- Follow the Center on Actual Innocence: This organization is the primary driver behind the legal filings for Daniel Green’s potential new trial or release.
The reality of the James Jordan murder is far more complex than a roadside robbery gone wrong. Whether Green eventually wins his freedom or Demery regains his parole status, the case remains a massive asterisk in the history of American true crime.
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Source References:
- North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records (2025/2026)
- WRAL "Follow the Truth" Investigative Series
- North Carolina Center on Actual Innocence case files
- Transcript of Judge Gregory Weeks' 2024 petition to the Parole Commission