MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The court hearing for Noura Jackson ended almost as soon as it started Wednesday morning, with Jackson’s attorneys announcing they were ready to accept a plea deal.
Noura, 28, showed little emotion in court even though she could soon be a free woman for the first time since she was a teen.
“To be offered an opportunity to walk free without having to go through a second trial when one has lost confidence in the system was simply an offer that was too good to pass up,” said Valerie Corder, one of Noura’s attorney.
By accepting an Alford plea on a voluntary manslaughter, the maximum sentence Jackson would face is 15 years, with the possibility of parole after 9 years.
She has already spent 9 and a half years in prison, so she’s eligible for parole.
“It’s an incredible thing that she is asked to do today, but frankly it’s Noura’s position, her word not ours, that she doesn’t have anymore faith in the justice system,” said Michael Working, Noura’s attorney.
The State Supreme Court overturned Noura’s first conviction because of prosecutor misconduct, but Noura had doubts about another trial.
A special Prosecutor said he offered the plea because the facts just weren’t there and charges against her were circumstantial.
Also things like her prior drug and alcohol use and sexual activity were not going to be admissible this time around.
Still, prosecutors insisted they got what they wanted.
“An adjudication of guilt, a finding of guilt regarding a knowing and intentional killing of Jennifer Jackson, that’s what Noura Jackson pleaded guilty to,” said District Attorney Mike Dunavant, a special prosecutor assigned to the case.
Noura Jackson was taken back to Jail East.
Her attorneys filed the paperwork for her release but when exactly she gets out depends on the Tennessee Department of Correction and Tennessee Department of Parole.
As a part of her plea, she cannot contact her mother’s family, something they requested.