Michael Jordan deals with the death of his father

A Lumberton jury sentenced Daniel Green to life in prison, opting not to give him a death sentence.

Green was convicted of first-degree murder, first-degree armed robbery and conspiracy to committ armed robbery in the July 23, 1993 attack on the father of basketball starMichael Jordan.

The state's chief prosecution witness, Larry Martin Demery (R), testified that Green, 21, shot Jordan (below L) in the chest during a roadside holdup. He said the two then ditched the body in a swamp and went joyriding in Jordan's $40,000 Lexus coupe.

Green's attorneys called to the stand four family friends who testified that Green was watching television at the time prosecutors said Jordan was killed.

Jordan, 57, was napping in the red Lexus during an overnight drive from Wilmington to Charlotte. He had stopped along U.S. 74, near a motel where Green and Demery were searching for likely robbery victims. The expensive car, a gift to Jordan from his superstar son, caught their eye.

They sneaked up just as Jordan was awakening, Demery testified.

``He made a statement like, `What is this?' or `What's going on?' As soon as these words were out of his mouth, Daniel cut him off. By that I mean he shot him. Daniel just shot him,'' said Demery, who pleaded guilty last spring to the same charges facing Green.

``We both stood there and watched the man die,'' he told the Later, as they rifled through items in the car, Green said: ``I believe we've killed Michael Jordan's daddy,'' Demery testified.

Green later wore a watch and two NBA rings Michael Jordan had given his father, even making a rap videotape of himself flaunting the jewelry. The jury saw a portion of the videotape but without the sound.

Jordan's family, including his wife, Deloris, were conspicuously absent from the trial. Michael Jordan did not testify. His brother, Larry, was the only family member to attend the trial, and then only long enough to identify the jewelry.

District Attorney Johnson Britt blamed the killing on greed.

``The motivating factor behind this murder was the defendant's desire to have money, to have nice material objects, to have a nice car,'' he said in closing arguments.

Green and Demery drove around in the Lexus from July 23 to July 26, picking up dates and calling family and friends from the cellular phone, witnesses testified. The first call after Jordan's death was to a sex line, records showed.

Demery said he and Green took the body to a swamp near Bennettsville, S.C., and Green stole the dead man's shoes before the two of them pushed the body into the water.

``He said he liked them and this man wasn't going to need them anymore,'' Demery testified.

Green also took two suits from the Lexus, and wore the pants from one suit to court one day, Demery said. Defense lawyers promised to explain the pants but never did.

The body was found Aug. 5, the same day Jordan's car was discovered abandoned and stripped in woods near Fayetteville.

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[667newdevilgod]

Just goes to show, Jordan really went through the peak of all peaks by winning 3 straight championships, then loses his father in a brutal murder, goes to play minor league baseball for a year, comes back in the dog days of the 1995 season only to lose in the playoffs, come back retooled and stronger then ever, leads his team to a championsip, 72-10 regular season, 87-13 overall season, wins MVP, all-star game MVP, and Finals MVP. All this in the span of 3 years. Stuff of epic proportions !

[GunGemini]

Not just a great athlete but a STRONG MIND.

[gauchousa8310]

@667newdevilgod

Well said my friend. I wonder when is the last time a player, if any, ever finished the year wining the all-star game , regular season, and finals mvp? I didn't realize he did that. I mean the man decides to kick ass, and BAM!-- wins every friggin award and the ship. I wonder where he placed in the DPOY award voting that year. I know GP won it that year, but he was 1st-team all-defense though. I'm thinking he could very well have won the DPOY that year too.

[kileer7]

Great video.

[theitalianspaniard]

who didn't like this video? honestly

[Luis241989]

Ive seen this video before its really inspiring...

[mjordan4ever23]

Basketball aside, 1 dislike? who in the right mind will dislike a video about someone talking about his fathers passing wtf?

[VinmanMJ23]

I know three people who went to the funeral of MJ's Dad. It was in a tiny town near Burgaw and Wallace, NC which are tiny towns themself.

[rigolin1771]

Only a Kobe or LeBron fan would dislike this amazing video. I am from Chicago and Jordan was, is and always will be the Greatest NBA player of all time!

[molpr]

@DaKingOfU55 u forgot golf bro

[667newdevilgod]

@DaKingOfU55 Amen bro, Amen.