Mississippi Executes Longest-Serving Death Row Inmate
The Facts
- Richard Gerald Jordan, a 79-year-old Vietnam veteran, was executed by lethal injection Wednesday at Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, becoming the longest-serving death row inmate in the state to be put to death after nearly five decades on death row.
- The execution began at 6 p.m., and Jordan was pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m., with his final words being an apology to the victim's family and a request for forgiveness before saying, "I will see you on the other side, all of you."
- Jordan was sentenced to death in 1976 for kidnapping and killing Edwina Marter, a bank loan officer's wife, in a ransom scheme where he demanded $25,000 from her husband after fatally shooting her in a forest.
Sources Split
LEFT
CENTER
RIGHT
+1
+1
ESTAB
CRIT
CENTER
PRO
ESTAB
The Spin
Narrative A
Jordan's Vietnam service and resulting PTSD should have been considered during his trial. Combat exposure and war trauma often leaves lasting psychological scars, impacting behavior and judgment. A more compassionate approach might have acknowledged how his trauma influenced his actions, possibly mitigating his sentence and offering a path toward rehabilitation.
Narrative B
Jordan was a calculated killer who planned his crime methodically, calling the bank, looking up the family's address, and demanding ransom even after murdering his victim. Jordan's deliberate actions and premeditated intent justify the ultimate punishment after decades of legal proceedings. His military service doesn't excuse executing an innocent mother for money.
Metaculus Prediction
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.18.3