The Texas court asked to overthrow the death sentence of Harris County inmate in Death Revere for almost 50 years

Houston, Texas – Clarence Jordan, 68, has been in the death cell for almost half a century, and the Texas Court for Criminal Law is now requested to cancel his death sentence.

Jordan was sentenced for the first time in 1978 to murder Joe Williams, Joe Williams, during a robbery.

Jordan's initial conviction and death sentence were lifted.

In 1983 Jordan was convicted again and sentenced to death for Williams. Four years later, Jordan was declared incompetent, which prohibited the state to carry out his execution.

In the following almost four decades it is unclear which attempts were made to restore Jordan's competence. Court files show that the judge in which Jordan was convicted was regularly carried out on his mental status, but the recording does not show whether formal measures were taken.

In November 2024, lawyers from Texas's Office of Capital and Forensic Writs applied for the court to represent Jordan. The OCFW is the public defender after writing capital and forensicists.

Ben Wolff, director of OCFW, told 2 investigates in February 2025 that it had no legal representation after 1988.

“One of the heartbreaking injustices in this case is that Mr. Jordan has not only been forgotten here, he is a person who is intellectually disabled and seriously ill who has been forgotten,” said Wolff.

Wolff argued in a recently submitted letter that Jordan should not have received the death penalty at all. Wolff argues that Jordan has a documented story of mental illnesses.

“Mr Jordan was diagnosed with schizophrenia,” intellectual disability “and” dysfunction “organic brain” and was known as a “father nature” during his process. For the most part, he was unable to use himself or to take care of himself, ”Wolff wrote in his appointment.

Wolff also argues that Jordans IQ is below the level where the current law can carry out a person.

Wolff writes that Jordan's death sentence violates the eighth change in the US constitution, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

In February 2025 with 2 investigations, officials from the district prosecutor of the Harri district said that Jordan's guilt was no doubt, but arguments against a death sentence would be taken into account.

Officials of the da office said they received Wolff's recent appointment and checked the arguments.

The office that assumes that there is a formal answer in three to four weeks.