The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has annulled the death penalty imposed on Clarence Curtis Jordan, a 70-year-old man with intellectual disabilities who has spent nearly five decades on death row, much of which was without legal representation.
Jordan was found guilty in 1978 for the murder of Joe L. Williams, a 40-year-old grocery store owner in Houston, and subsequently received a death sentence. Over the years, courts recognized that Jordan’s intellectual disabilities rendered him “incompetent,” thereby exempting him from execution according to constitutional principles.
In 2024, attorney Ben Wolff, who heads the Office of Capital and Forensic Writs in Austin, began representing Jordan. By 2025, he submitted a petition to the court, seeking to overturn Jordan’s death sentence. Wolff characterized the case as “a troubling, yet remediable failure of Texas criminal justice,” as reported by the Houston Press.
The filing elaborated on Jordan’s condition: “Mr. Jordan is an incompetent, brain-damaged individual with IQ scores recorded at 56 and 60. He has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, mental retardation, and organic brain dysfunction and was known during his trial as Father Nature. He has largely been unable to advocate for himself or care for his own needs.”
It was noted that Mr. Jordan has remained on death row for almost 50 years, yet has not had legal representation for over 30 years, during which time he has been largely forgotten and has suffered in a Texas prison. The filing asserted that developments in eighth amendment jurisprudence have clarified that Mr. Jordan’s death sentence is unconstitutional.
On Thursday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals vacated Jordan’s death sentence and remanded the case to Harris County for a new sentencing hearing.
Wolff expressed his appreciation for the ruling, stating to the Texas Tribune that he was grateful for the decision, but also emphasized that the situation reveals a “troubling truth” within the criminal justice system, where the most vulnerable individuals are often neglected or overlooked.
The Harris County District Attorney’s office commented on the ruling, saying it represented “what justice looks like,” while noting that Jordan’s conviction remains intact. “This outcome does not diminish the pain experienced by Joe Williams’ family and friends,” the office stated. “When a life is at stake, it is imperative that we adhere to the law and ensure a fair process.”
Wolff informed the Tribune that the only alternative sentence available for Jordan’s conviction would be life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.
