WASHINGTON — The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the murder conviction and death sentence of Richard Glossip, a man from Oklahoma who has consistently asserted his innocence and survived numerous execution attempts by the state.
The justices determined that Glossip’s trial proceedings violated his constitutional rights, thus necessitating the decision to discard his conviction.
Back in October, the Supreme Court heard arguments in this controversial case, which led to an unusual coalition of attorneys representing both Glossip and the state. Together, they argued for the nullification of Glossip’s conviction and death penalty on the grounds that he did not receive a fair trial.
Relatives of the victim had approached the high court with a desire for Glossip’s execution to proceed. Nevertheless, Oklahoma’s top criminal appeals court consistently upheld Glossip’s conviction and sentence, even after the state eventually supported Glossip’s stance.
Originally, Glossip was found guilty and sentenced to death for the 1997 murder-for-hire killing of Barry Van Treese, his former boss and motel owner, in Oklahoma City. Prosecutors alleged that Glossip orchestrated the murder plot.
Glossip has persistently claimed he is innocent. In this complex case, Justin Sneed, another involved individual, confessed to robbing and bludgeoning Van Treese to death with a baseball bat. However, Sneed alleged he did so under Glossip’s promise of a $10,000 payment. Sneed was sentenced to life in prison in exchange for his testimony, which was crucial in implicating Glossip.
