Oklahoma City, OK — After almost three decades on death row and nine near-executions, Richard Glossip has been released on $500,000 bond while awaiting a retrial in the 1997 murder of his boss, Barry Van Treese. Glossip must wear an electronic monitoring device and is restricted from contacting witnesses or leaving Oklahoma.
Glossip was first convicted in 1998 for allegedly ordering the fatal beating of Van Treese, owner of an Oklahoma City motel. Prosecutors claimed Glossip paid the motel handyman, Justin Sneed, $10,000 to carry out the killing. Sneed later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder under a deal to testify against Glossip.
Glossip’s 1998 conviction was overturned in 2001 due to ineffective legal representation. He was reconvicted in 2004 and sentenced to death again. His execution was postponed nine times over the years while appeals were reviewed. In 2025, the Supreme Court overturned the 2004 conviction, citing that prosecutors failed to correct false testimony from Sneed, who had a history of mental illness that was not disclosed during the trial.
Glossip has consistently maintained his innocence, arguing that Sneed acted alone. His legal team praised the Supreme Court’s ruling, emphasizing that it ensures Glossip will finally receive a fair trial after decades of legal battles.
On May 14, 2026, Glossip was released from prison, walking out hand-in-hand with his wife, Lea Glossip. Attorney Don Knight called the release “a step forward in escaping a decades-long nightmare,” noting the psychological toll of nearly three decades on death row.
