Richard Glossip to Walk Free After 25 Years on Death Row Amid Celebrity Support Campaign

Former motel manager Richard Glossip spent more than two decades on death row after being convicted of commissioning the 1997 murder of Barry Van Treese, after the motel owner allegedly discovered he had embezzled funds.

In a historic ruling on May 14, Oklahoma County District Judge Natalie Mai granted Glossip a $500,000 bond. The judge ordered him to live with his wife, wear an electronic monitoring device, follow a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew, and remain in Oklahoma while awaiting further proceedings.

He is set to walk free for the first time in 30 years.

The motel maintenance man, Justin Sneed, who admitted to killing Van Treese with a baseball bat on January 7, 1997, pleaded guilty in exchange for testifying against Glossip. Sneed received life without parole, avoiding the death penalty through the plea agreement.

Glossip’s case has drawn international attention for years because prosecutors presented little physical or corroborating evidence linking him to the murder, other than Sneed’s testimony. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals previously described the state’s original case against him as “extremely weak.”

Over the years, several celebrities and high-profile figures have publicly advocated for Glossip, arguing that his conviction was flawed and calling for clemency or a new trial.

Kim Kardashian — urged supporters to contact Oklahoma officials to halt Glossip’s execution and has continued speaking out about the case.

Susan Sarandon — one of Glossip’s earliest celebrity supporters, appearing publicly and in interviews backing his innocence claims.

Dr. Phil McGraw — featured the case on his television show and participated in public efforts calling for intervention.

Mark Ruffalo — publicly supported clemency efforts and urged officials to stop the execution.

Richard Branson — backed public campaigns tied to documentaries and awareness efforts surrounding the case.

Sister Helen Prejean — one of Glossip’s most outspoken defenders, working closely with his legal team and speaking extensively against his execution.

In September and October 2015, Glossip was granted three successive stays of execution due to questions about Oklahoma’s lethal injection drugs after Oklahoma Department of Corrections officials used potassium acetate instead of potassium chloride to execute Charles Frederick Warner on January 15, 2015, contrary to protocol.

In March 2022, Glossip married Lea Rodger of Florida, an anti-death penalty advocate. Lea is Glossip’s fourth wife. He also had one common law marriage at the time he was arrested. He has eaten his “last” meal three times.

While Glossip can now post bond at any time, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond has made it clear the state still intends to prosecute him for murder, though they will no longer pursue the death penalty, according to AOL.

A date for the third trial has not yet been set. In her ruling, Judge Mai emphasized her expectation for a “rigorous” prosecution and “robust” defense.

“The court hopes that a new trial, free of error, will provide all interested parties and the citizens of Oklahoma the closure they deserve,” she wrote. For Glossip, that trial represents a final chance to clear his name after a lifetime spent in the shadow of the gallows.