DALLAS – Until Tuesday, little was known about Jordan Edwards, except that he was a talented football player, his favorite color was red, and he was an all-around good kid.
He was 15 years old on April 29, 2017, when he was shot and killed by Roy Oliver, who was at the time a Balch Springs police officer. Edwards was leaving a party that Oliver had been called to break up.
After a week-and-a-half of testimony and 13 hours of deliberations, Oliver was convicted of murder in Edwards’ death.
Once the sentencing phase began, those who knew Edwards best and loved him the most began to share their memories.
“I would love to have a classroom of Jordans, it would make teaching so easy,” said Anna Lee Polk, who taught Jordan algebra at Mesquite High School.
Polk was one of several teachers who spoke, describing a teenager who never got in trouble.
“We never had any problems. He was great kid,” said his father, Odell Edwards. “Everything he did, he was good in.”
Edwards’ father said his son had a goal of playing football for the University of Alabama someday. “I believe he would have been a star – a big star,” he said.
Football coach Jeffrey Fleener agreed.
“Coaches describe it as having the ‘it factor’ or the ‘x factor.’ He had all the tools,” Fleener said. “He was a great size, he had speed and athleticism, but the it factor is that he had the mental grind. He wanted to be great.”
“He didn’t just say, ‘I want to go to Alabama and play college football.’ He was in there every day, doing things you wish every single one of your players would do.”
Fleener nicknamed Edwards “Smiley” and fellow teachers knew why.
“He was just very joyful, he radiated joy and had the biggest smile I had ever seen in my life,” said Spanish teacher Alli Clements. “You still feel that joy is gone. There’s still a hole in my classroom.”
“My motto to kids is smile, smile like Jordan, because that’s all he did,” said biology teacher Ricardo Pelayo. “He lit up the room.”
“Jordan was one of those kids who you knew was going to go on and do great things,” said Jenna Williams, who taught Edwards’ English class. “I could see him going to college, walking across the graduation stage. I mean he had a future. He was going to do amazing things. You could tell. “
Fleener said Edwards’ best friend will wear his old number, 11, for the next two seasons. After that, 11 will be a number you have to earn.
“We have a tribute in his old locker,” Fleener said. “Nobody’s moved in there, with the small exception of all the notes, letters, poems, pictures…”
He paused to gain his composure, before continuing with tears in his eyes.
“While as a football team we need to move on and honor him and play for him, there is still a constant reminder of him every time our young men go into that locker room.”