Richard Glossip, a former death row inmate who spent nearly 30 years incarcerated and faced multiple execution dates, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge on Thursday, resolving a decades-long legal battle stemming from the 1997 murder of his former boss, Barry Van Treese.
The murder charge against Glossip was dismissed after he pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact, according to his attorney, Don Knight. The plea was accepted by Oklahoma County Court Judge Natalie Mai during a brief hearing originally scheduled for pretrial matters. Glossip’s sentencing is scheduled for December.
Glossip’s conviction was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court last year after it found that prosecutors had admitted testimony they knew to be false, violating his right to a fair trial. The high court remanded the case back to district court, prompting Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond to review the merits of the case. Drummond had previously indicated his office would seek a retrial on a first-degree murder charge without pursuing the death penalty, while acknowledging that Glossip did not receive a fair trial.
Glossip was released on bond in May after nearly 30 years in prison, including time on death row. His case has drawn significant attention, with prominent figures such as Kim Kardashian advocating for his claims of innocence. Glossip maintained his innocence throughout his incarceration, despite being twice convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Van Treese, who was beaten to death with a baseball bat in a motel room.
Key Witness and Prosecutorial Issues
The prosecution’s case relied heavily on the testimony of Justin Sneed, a 19-year-old maintenance worker who admitted to killing Van Treese but claimed Glossip had put him up to it. Sneed, who is currently serving a life sentence, avoided the death penalty by becoming the state’s star witness against Glossip. The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Glossip’s conviction cited issues with this testimony, which prosecutors had admitted they knew was false at the time of trial.
Legal and Procedural Aftermath
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, Drummond’s office reviewed the case and concluded that sufficient evidence existed to secure a murder conviction, though without seeking the death penalty. However, Glossip’s attorneys argued that he would have been eligible for full release in 2016 under Oklahoma law at the time, considering the time served and credits earned for good behavior. The state did not reach an agreement with defense lawyers on a proposed sentence, leaving the sentencing decision to Judge Mai.
Glossip’s plea to accessory after the fact was entered voluntarily, with no specific questions about the crime addressed during the hearing. Members of Van Treese’s family were present in the courtroom during the proceedings. Glossip’s attorney, Knight, stated that the plea was intended to “put this matter to rest” and expressed hope that the case would not result in additional prison time for Glossip, who has already served decades in custody.