In 1997, Richard Glossip was accused of the murder of his boss, a motel owner named Barry Van Treese, and sentenced to death. However, new evidence has emerged suggesting that the investigation into the case was faulty, and that Glossip may have been wrongly convicted. Glossip, who has faced nine different execution dates and come within hours of losing his life on three occasions, is now seeking a second reprieve based on the new evidence.
A recent investigation by the Washington-based Death Penalty Information Center uncovered “extensive corruption” at the Oklahoma City Police Department, which has already led to the release of fellow death row inmate Julius Jones after almost 20 years in prison. The investigation has revealed that the handyman who killed Van Treese with a baseball bat at the motel was attempting to rob the victim for drug money and then implicated Glossip to avoid getting the death penalty.
Glossip’s lawyers point out that he did not actually carry out the murder, but was rather the person who hired someone to do it. This unusual aspect of the case has brought significant attention to it, especially since Glossip has always maintained his innocence. Justin Sneed, who admitted to the murder, has recently withdrawn his testimony, calling into question the evidence used to convict Glossip.
In 2015, an Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals report recommended postponing Glossip’s scheduled execution, but the ruling was eventually overturned. His latest appeal for a stay of execution following allegations of misused drugs in a previous execution was also denied by the state Court of Criminal Appeals, and Glossip was due to be executed on June 16th.
Amnesty International has highlighted Glossip’s case as an example of the “unbelievable cruelty” of capital punishment, noting that Glossip has spent over two decades on death row and has been scheduled for execution a staggering number of times. His case has also been publicized by the Suspect Convictions podcast, which won the Best True Crime Podcast award at the inaugural British Podcast Awards.
The discovery of new evidence that casts doubt on the validity of Glossip’s conviction highlights the need for a thorough review of capital punishment in the United States. If an innocent person can come within hours of being killed by the state, it is clear that there are significant flaws in the system. Glossip’s case serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for reform.
