Jim Gordon, Eric Clapton drummer and convicted murderer, dead aged 77

music

By Erin Keller

March 15, 2023 | 21:04

Jim Gordon – the Grammy-winning rock drummer for Eric Clapton and George Harrison – who was convicted of killing his mother in 1983 while suffering from schizophrenia, has died. He was 77.

His publicist, Bob Merlis, confirmed to The Post on Wednesday that Gordon died Monday at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville of natural causes “after a long incarceration and lifelong battle with mental illness.”

The Post contacted a Clapton representative for comment.

Born on July 14, 1945, Gordon backed the Everly Brothers and played on The Beach Boys’ 1966 album “Pet Sounds.”

He toured with Clapton in 1969 and 1970 as part of the band Delaney & Bonnie. Clapton briefly formed a new band, Derek and the Dominos, which also featured Gordon.

The group worked on Beatles guitarist George Harrison’s 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass.

Gordon and Clapton also co-wrote Clapton’s 1971 smash hit “Layla”. Gordon received his first and only Grammy Award for that song.

Gordon eventually began to show signs of mental illness, and he reportedly beat his then-girlfriend, singer-songwriter Rita Coolidge, in a hotel in 1970.

Gordon fatally attacked his 72-year-old mother, Osa Gordon, with a hammer and then a knife on June 3, 1983. He confessed, claiming a voice inside his head told him to kill her.

He was correctly diagnosed with schizophrenia after his arrest.

Gordon was sentenced in 1984 to 16 years to life in prison, where he died on Monday.

Despite his schizophrenia diagnosis, a judge ruled that he could not be found not guilty by reason of insanity under California’s insanity law at the time.

He was denied parole for the 10th time in March 2018 after he allegedly refused to attend parole.