Cliff Beattie wrote: > Sat, November 9, 2002 > Jordan pleads guilty Killer sentenced to two life terms > > FORT WORTH - After jurors indicated they were deadlocked, Charles William > Jordan agreed to plead guilty to two counts of capital murder Friday > evening, trading the possibility of a death sentence for a life behind bars. > Jordan, 31, pleaded guilty to the Nov. 23, 2001, murders of James and > Ullaine Christmas of Bowie and also agreed to plead guilty to an aggravated > robbery charge in connection with a Jan. 28 jailbreak that led to a 10-day > nationwide manhunt. > Montague District Attorney Tim Cole said Friday evening Jordan will be > sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. > "I don't like it, but I think it's the best thing to do at this point," > said Montague County District Attorney Tim Cole. > Defense attorneys had proposed the plea agreement weeks ago. But Cole > said he didn't agree until Friday, after jurors indicated they were > deadlocked 10-2 on the capital murder charge. It was unclear whether their > vote favored a guilty verdict or acquittal. > Jordan's attorneys said Friday they wanted to keep their client off death > row. > "The state had always maintained a tough stance on the death penalty, but > it became fairly apparent that the jury was struggling to reach a verdict," > Wichita Falls attorney Bruce Martin said. "But we're not harboring any > illusions they were hung up on `not guilty.'" > The jury began deliberations Friday morning following a four-day trial in > Tarrant County. The trial was moved from Montague County to Fort Worth after > defense attorneys asked the court for a change of venue, citing extensive > pre-trial publicity surrounding the murders and the subsequent jailbreak. > The Christmas' bodies were found in a shallow grave behind Mr. Christmas' > home four days after Thanksgiving. > What may have contributed to the jury's deadlock was the testimony of > Willie Christmas. The grandson of James Christmas offered jurors conflicting > accounts of what happened on the day his grandfather and step-grandmother > were murdered. In particular, Willie Christmas claimed Jordan's lover, > Chrystal Soto, smothered Ullaine Christmas with a pillow after Jordan had > repeatedly beaten the 79-year-old woman with the shotgun he had used to kill > James Christmas. > However, a state forensic specialist testified Ullaine Christmas' death > was because of the beating and that he found no evidence the woman died of > asphyxiation. > Defense attorneys had proposed the plea agreement weeks ago. But Cole > said he didn't agree until Friday, after jurors indicated they were > deadlocked 10-2 on the capital murder charge. It was unclear whether their > vote favored a guilty verdict or acquittal. > During deliberations, jurors gave to the judge several notes asking > questions, including the definition of reasonable doubt and whether their > verdict had to be unanimous. > Jordan of St. Charles, Mo., had traveled to Montague County in the fall > of 2001 with Soto and the Christmases' grandson. James Christmas had offered > the three a mobile home on one of his properties as a place to live. When > the elderly couple asked the trio to leave their house near Bowie because of > their drug use, Jordan shot 76-year-old James and repeatedly hit 79-year-old > Ullaine in the head.