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Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced that the state will no longer pursue the death penalty against Richard Glossip, a former death row inmate. However, the state will continue to seek a murder conviction for his alleged role in the 1997 murder-for-hire plot against his former boss, Barry Van Treese.
Glossip, who has maintained his innocence, spent nearly 30 years on death row after being convicted twice for the crime. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction and death sentence in February, citing prosecutorial misconduct, including allowing false testimony from a key witness, Justin Sneed. Sneed, who admitted to killing Van Treese, testified that Glossip promised to pay him $10,000 for the murder. Sneed is serving a life sentence.
Attorney General Drummond stated that while he believes Glossip played a role in the crime, he is committed to ensuring Glossip receives a fair trial. He emphasized that the goal is to seek justice, not to defend past prosecutions. Drummond noted the difficulty of retrying the case after more than 25 years but expressed confidence in securing a murder conviction based on the evidence.
During his time on death row, Glossip faced nine execution dates and came close to execution multiple times. Glossip's next court date is scheduled for June 17.