OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Richard Glossip, who has spent nearly three decades on death row while maintaining his innocence, will face a new trial for first-degree murder—but no longer under threat of execution—following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling and a decision by Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Glossip was first convicted in 1998 for allegedly orchestrating the murder of Oklahoma City motel owner Barry Van Treese. That conviction was overturned in 2001, but he was found guilty again in 2004, largely based on the testimony of Justin Sneed—the man who admitted to carrying out the killing. Sneed testified that Glossip offered him $10,000 to commit the murder. In exchange for his testimony, Sneed received a life sentence.
The case has drawn bipartisan support from Oklahoma lawmakers and national attention amid growing concerns over due process and the reliability of the state’s primary witness. A 2022 independent investigation commissioned by the Oklahoma legislature concluded that “no reasonable jury hearing the complete record would convict Glossip of first-degree murder.” That investigation also questioned whether prosecutors had steered Sneed’s testimony to align with other evidence.
Although Drummond has said he does not believe Glossip is innocent, he acknowledged that the trial was deeply flawed. “It is now an undeniable fact that he did not receive a fair trial,” Drummond said in a statement. Still, he contends that sufficient evidence remains to justify pursuing a new conviction.
In February, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated Glossip’s capital conviction, citing the prosecution’s knowledge that Sneed’s statements were false. The Court said Sneed’s credibility was “determinative” to the outcome. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote that correcting Sneed’s testimony likely would have changed the jury’s verdict.
Over the years, Glossip has faced nine execution dates, each postponed due to legal appeals or concerns with the state’s execution protocols. He was removed from death row following the Supreme Court ruling and is currently being held without bail at the Oklahoma County Detention Center.
His next court date is scheduled for June 17. His attorney, Don Knight, praised the Court’s decision. “He had nine execution dates, three last meals, and obviously, to finally get relief has been huge for him,” Knight said. “He’s thrilled beyond words.”
Drummond said that while he cannot change the past, he is committed to ensuring a fair process moving forward. “I still have a duty to seek the justice that is available today,” he said.
