Richard Glossip, who was once on death row in Oklahoma, is soon back in court. His murder case is moving closer to a new trial, almost 30 years after he was first sentenced to death. He has been so close to execution that he’s had three last meals.
Richard Glossip, now 63, was convicted over the 1997 killing of motel owner Barry Van Treese in Oklahoma City. Prosecutors stated the crime was part of a murder-for-hire plot involving Glossip and maintenance worker Justin Sneed, who later testified against him in exchange for avoiding the death penalty.
However, the case has been thrown into years of legal turmoil. In fact, it has been almost 30(!) years. Glossip has been behind bars ever since, and has been so close to execution that he’s been eating his last meal three times.
His death sentence was scheduled nine times before being halted. A major shift occurred last year when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction.
The Court agreed with both Glossip’s legal team and the state of Oklahoma that his original trial was unfair, paving the way for a new phase in his decades-long legal battle.
In May, Glossip was released from prison after posting a $500,000 bond set by an Oklahoma judge. He now awaits a third trial in the decades-old case.
Former death row inmate Richard Glossip had three final meals
Glossip has consistently maintained his innocence, while supporters, including high-profile advocates, argue the original trial was fundamentally flawed.
Glossip has attracted widespread support both in the United States and around the world, with high-profile figures such as Kim Kardashian and Susan Sarandon, among those calling for justice in his case.
“We cannot execute another man especially for a crime he didn’t commit!” Kim Kardashian wrote on X in 2023, saying she believed Glossip was innocent and that he “deserves a full pardon.”
“Everyone has to hear about Richard Glossip,” she added.
In a statement to USA TODAY, Glossip’s attorneys said they were grateful for Oklahoma County District Judge Natalie Mai’s ruling, which made his release possible. Meanwhile, the state says it has strong evidence against Glossip for his third trial.
Set for retrial decades after suspected murder
“While we disagree with the court’s decision, we remain focused on retrying this case and securing a third conviction,” Leslie Berger, press secretary for the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office, told USA Today. “Ultimately, the question of the defendant’s guilt or innocence will once again be decided by a jury of Oklahoma citizens − not a judge.”
When the third trial against Richard Glossip will take place is not yet decided.
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