The U.S. Supreme Court will hear the case of Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Glossip.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has contended Glossip’s conviction for the murder of his boss Barry Van Treese on Jan. 15, 1997. He will be remanded back to the district court due to the divulgence of false testimony by the prosecution’s key witness.
Here is Drummond’s statement regarding the Court’s decision.
“Public confidence in the death penalty requires the highest standard of reliability, so it is appropriate that the U.S. Supreme Court will review this case,” Drummond said. “As Oklahoma’s chief law officer, I will continue fighting to ensure justice is done in this case and every other.”
The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals rejected Glossip’s request for post-conviction relief. It prompted the Supreme Court to take up his case, granting him a temporary stay of execution in May.
Shortly after taking office, Drummond began looking for answers to this case. He quickly found out that the State withheld materials from Glossip’s defense and quickly appointed an independent counsel to conduct a review.
Evidence pointed to Glossip’s co-worker as giving false testimony. He did not disclose that he had been prescribed lithium by a psychiatrist for a serious psychiatric condition.