Texas Court Overturns Death Sentence for Clarence Curtis Jordan

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has overturned the death sentence of Clarence Curtis Jordan, a 70-year-old Harris County man who had been on death row for 47 years. In a ruling issued on April 9, 2026, the state’s highest criminal court vacated the sentence and ordered the case to be sent back to Harris County for a new punishment proceeding.

Jordan was first convicted in 1978 for the murder of Joe L. Williams, a 40-year-old grocer in Houston. While the court’s ruling overturned the death penalty, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Jordan’s conviction for the murder still stands.

Legal History and Intellectual Disability

Throughout his decades on death row, Jordan’s legal status was complicated by his mental health and intellectual capacity. Courts determined in subsequent years that Jordan was incompetent, a finding that rendered him ineligible for execution under constitutional standards.

Legal filings describe Jordan as an incompetent person with organic brain dysfunction, schizophrenia, and mental retardation. His IQ has been assessed at scores of 56 and 60. During his trial, he was known as Father Nature and was noted as being largely unable to care for or advocate for himself.

Decades of Legal Neglect

Despite his conviction and subsequent findings of incompetence, Jordan spent nearly four decades without an attorney to advocate for his case. He was effectively forgotten on death row until 2024, when he was appointed a new lawyer.

The appointment of new counsel occurred as Harris County worked to reduce a backlog in its criminal courts. During this effort, it emerged that numerous criminal appeals had been delayed, with some cases having been lost for more than ten years.

Ben Wolff, the director of the Office of Capital and Forensic Writs and Jordan’s attorney, filed a petition in 2025 requesting that the death sentence be overturned. Wolff argued that Jordan’s situation represented a failure of the Texas criminal justice system.

It’s a really sad case. He’s been on death row basically as long as I’ve been alive.

Ben Wolff, attorney for Clarence Curtis Jordan

Wolff stated that the case reflects a troubling truth within the justice system, suggesting that individuals who most require assistance are frequently forgotten or cast aside.

Official Response and Next Steps

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office stated on April 9, 2026, that the overturning of the sentence is what justice looks like, emphasizing the necessity of following the law to ensure a fair process when a life is at stake.

The District Attorney’s Office also noted that this legal outcome does not diminish the harm experienced by the family and friends of Joe Williams.

Because the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals vacated the death sentence but did not overturn the conviction, Jordan will remain in the custody of the state while Harris County conducts the new punishment proceeding to determine an appropriate sentence.