1 of 1 Richard Glossip in a prison photo released in 2015 — Photo: Oklahoma DOCAFP Richard Glossip in a prison photo released in 2015 — Photo: Oklahoma DOCAFP
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday stayed the scheduled execution of Oklahoma death row prisoner Richard Glossip, whose case was supported by the Republican attorney general, after an investigation uncovered new evidence into the Glossip’s 1997 murder was condemned commissioning.
The judges acted after an Oklahoma state panel voted April 26 against recommending a pardon for 60yearold Glossip, who was scheduled to be executed on May 18 for his role in the killing of motel owner Barry Van Treese.
The judges agreed to stay the execution while they consider whether to accept Glossip’s two pending appeals challenging his conviction on various grounds.
Don Knight, Glossip’s attorney, welcomed the court’s actions.
“We are very grateful to the US Supreme Court for doing the right thing to prevent the wrongful execution of Richard Glossip,” Knight said. “Nothing is more harrowing than the thought of having to execute a man who the state now admits never received a fair trial. Thankfully Mr Glossip is out of danger for now.”
In an unusual turn of events in a death penalty case, Glossip enlisted the support of Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond on April 6, who said the conclusions of an independent attorney he hired to investigate the case “raise doubts of conviction”.
“After careful and serious consideration, I have come to the conclusion that I cannot support the murder conviction and death sentence of Richard Glossip,” Drummond said in a statement announcing he would be filing a motion that day , in which he asked an Oklahoma appeals court to vacate the conviction and return the case to federal court.
“That’s not to say I think he’s innocent. However, it is critical that the people of Oklahoma have absolute confidence that the death penalty will be carried out fairly and safely,” added Drummond.
An independent investigation conducted last year by law firm Reed Smith at the request of Oklahoma lawmakers also raised serious concerns about Glossip’s case and conviction.
The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals on April 20 upheld Glossip’s murder conviction and dismissed Drummond’s lawsuit. The Oklahoma Board of Pardons and Paroles declined to recommend clemency on April 26 because the board was deadlocked 22.
Glossip’s conviction stemmed from the 1997 murder of Van Treese, the owner of a Best Budget Inn motel in Oklahoma City, who was beaten to death with a baseball bat by maintenance worker Justin Sneed. Sneed confessed to the murder and said Glossip, the motel manager, hired him for it.