Supreme Court Overturns Oklahoma Murder Conviction

WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the Supreme Court nullified the murder conviction and death sentence of Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma resident who has consistently declared his innocence despite several state attempts to execute him. The court determined that his trial had breached his constitutional rights.

The justices deliberated on the case in October, which showcased an unusual cooperation between Glossip’s defense and state attorneys. Both parties urged the court to overturn his conviction and death penalty, arguing that he did not receive a fair trial.

Despite the high court’s decision, relatives of the victim expressed their wish for Glossip’s execution. Previously, Oklahoma’s leading criminal appeals court had upheld his conviction and sentence multiple times, even as the state chose to support Glossip’s cause.

Glossip was originally found guilty and given the death penalty for the 1997 murder of his former employer, Barry Van Treese, a motel owner in Oklahoma City. Prosecutors claimed the crime was planned as part of a murder-for-hire plot.

Throughout the proceedings, Glossip has asserted that he is innocent. Justin Sneed, another individual involved, admitted to robbing Van Treese and lethally attacking him with a baseball bat. Sneed’s testimony implicated Glossip, claiming the promise of a $10,000 payment as motivation for the crime. In return for his testimony, Sneed was sentenced to life in prison and served as the principal witness against Glossip.