Oklahoma inmate Richard Glossip could be moved following Supreme Court ruling

Death Sentence Overturned by Supreme Court

An Oklahoma inmate whose death sentence was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court may soon be transferred out of a maximum-security prison in McAlester.

That decision regarding Richard Glossip’s sentence was announced Tuesday when the Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors knowingly allowed false witness testimony in his trial—effectively tossing out his death sentence and conviction.

Glossip has spent 28 years behind bars, facing nine execution dates and receiving three last meals.

Attorney Focused on Moving Glossip to Oklahoma City

Glossip’s attorney, Don Knight, said Wednesday that his primary focus is securing his client’s transfer to Oklahoma County.

“My job right now is to get him out of there as quickly as I can and get him over to the district court in Oklahoma County, where we can begin to see what’s going to happen next,” Knight said. “That’s really where I’m focused on right now.”

A spokesperson for the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office confirmed that a move to the Oklahoma County Detention Center is probable.

Legal Future Remains Uncertain

Glossip was convicted twice of orchestrating the 1997 murder of his boss, Barry Van Treese. Now, state officials—including the Oklahoma attorney general—must decide whether to pursue a lesser charge or seek the death penalty again.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond has suggested that modern prosecutorial standards may not support the pursuit of the death penalty.

“I believe that under today’s standard, very few prosecutors would seek a death penalty,” Drummond said. “Mr. Glossip by his own testimony is guilty of accessory after the fact so we know that he by his own words is guilty of a 35-year crime.”

Van Treese’s Family Continues to Seek Justice

Van Treese’s family released a statement Tuesday expressing frustration over the ruling.

“For the last 10,276 days, we’ve been waiting for justice for the murder of Barry Van Treese,” the statement read. “Both previous Oklahoma juries made it clear that the issue at hand isn't one of guilt or innocence—Glossip is undeniably guilty of first-degree murder.”

Governor Stitt Weighs In

During a press conference Wednesday, Governor Kevin Stitt acknowledged the impact of the case on the victim’s family.

“That’s the disappointing thing, I think, about the victim’s family here,” Stitt said. “But if the attorney general thinks he’s innocent I think he needs to defend that or whatever he’s saying on that case.”