Jordan Edwards' classmates find relief in guilty verdict
Some of Jordan Edwards' teachers testified in Tuesday’s testimony that he "radiated joy," was "loved by everyone," and was going to go on to do "great things." They said he was a star football player in the making.
READ MORE: Ex-Balch Springs officer Roy Oliver found guilty of murder
The 15-year-old’s locker at Mesquite High School has become a tribute to the teen. There are little tributes all around the school where friends learned on Tuesday that they received justice.
“While, as a football team, we need to move on and honor him and play for him, there is still a constant reminder for our young men going into that locker room,” said Mesquite High School Head Football Coach Jeff Fleener.
Jordan’s freshman football locker remains untouched. His coach gave an emotional victim impact statement in court Tuesday in Roy Oliver's punishment phase. Fleener let Edwards’ friends leave tributes to him, letters in his locker, a number 11 on the school emblem, and his initials, “JE,” on every helmet.
Boys who grew up with Edwards recalled their time with him. They played pee wee football together and then later became teammates at Mesquite High School.
“Every day I go out on the football field, I’m going to do it for him,” said student Gary Green.
“He was a funny person. Like, always positive,” said student Alec Rice.
Jordan’s friends say Jordan was competitive.
“I had seen Jordan as a D1 athlete because of how hard he worked,” said student Jaxon Turner. “He was going to go get it."
Jordan’s teachers said the same in court Tuesday.
“He had a future,” said teacher Jenna Williams. “He was just going to do amazing things. You could tell.”
The friends say it could have been any one of them who got shot that April night in 2017. They got news of the verdict while in school.
“He was found guilty, and I just started smiling,” Gary said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I’m good. I’m ready.’”
Dwayne Adams was Jordan’s best friend. He now wears his number, 11.
“Cause usually this stuff don’t really go our way. When things like this happen. When children get shot,” Dwayne said.
“It just changes your idea of what direction this country is moving in because we broke down barriers. We made history. He made history,” Jaxon said. “You don’t see that every day: a police officer getting convicted of murder. You don’t see that — a young black man getting killed, and then him getting justice. This young black man that was playing football, doing good in school, he got justice. And that’s because we stayed prayed up and we fought for him.”