The loss of his father was a heavy toll for Michael Jordan. The only way for him to get some peace was to step away from basketball and pursue the sport his father wanted him to play – baseball. Once, the Bulls legend explained the pain and wanted to hear no explanation from the convicts. “No, because I don’t want to know [the reason why]. Because it would probably hurt me even more just to know their reasons. Because it is totally meaningless to the reason. It’s better that I don’t know.” Three decades later, one of them speaks again.

One of two men serving a life sentence for the 1993 shooting of James Jordan—the father of NBA legend Michael Jordan—spoke exclusively with News13’s Annette Peagler. Currently being in the Southern Correctional Institution in Troy, North Carolina, Daniel Green addressed that he should be released “immediately”.

“I’m managing the best a person could [under] these circumstances,” he said. Green maintained and claimed his innocence once again in the interview. “Of course, prison is not a place that anyone should want to be, especially somebody that’s innocent of the charges. I am innocent of these charges that I was convicted of. I was convicted of three different charges.” What were the three charges? He was found guilty of m—-, conspiracy to commit robbery, and robbery.

This incident was just months after James Jordan saw his son win his third consecutive NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls. Daniel Green and Larry Demery were later charged with first-degree m—– after they allegedly shot James and stole the car. MJ’s father was 57 at the time. But throughout his 32 years in prison, he has consistently fought to overturn his conviction.

“I spend most of my time working on my case or researching my case,” he said. Green added that he has also tried to become a better person by learning to “understand our justice system, the way that our government works, and… to become a better person each and every day.”

Recalling the dreaded day that took place in Michael Jordan’s life

James Jordan was attending a funeral and driving back to Charlotte from Wilmington on July 23, 1993. As retold by MJ himself on The Last Dance, being tired on his way back, he took a stop and Interstate 95 in Lumberton. Which proved to be fatal. The Jordan family lost contact with James, but didn’t report it immediately. Since MJ’s father would often go on extended business trips. But this one was not the one the family hoped for. Soon, the search started, and it was in early August, a body was discovered in Gum Swamp Creek in South Carolina.

And a few days later, James’ red Lexus was found in the woods near Fayetteville, North Carolina, 60 miles away. Yes, it was the same car the Bulls legend purchased for his father. It had the custom license plate ‘UNC0023’–which went missing, plus the car also had broken windows. On August 13, 10 days after the body was found, dental records confirmed the deceased was James R. Jordan.

To make matters worse, at the time, the death was also linked to Michael Jordan’s gambling habits, which proved to be false. That’s why the only option that MJ saw fit at the time was to retire from basketball and move to baseball. Ultimately, he was back and at his best, winning another three-peat. But this time, there was no James Jordan to support and cheer from the sidelines.