Attorney General not seeking death penalty against Richard Glossip

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - The Oklahoma Attorney General's Office announced on Monday that it is not seeking the death penalty against Richard Glossip in another retrial.

Glossip was sentenced to death for the 1997 murder-for-hire of his former boss, Barry Van Treese. Oklahoma City motel worker Justin Sneed admitted to killing Van Treese and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

At trial, Sneed testified that Glossip, who was the manager of the motel, paid him $10,000 to kill Van Treese. In exchange for his testimony against Glossip, prosecutors did not ask for Sneed to be put to death. In 1998, a jury found Glossip guilty for Van Treese’s murder.

Glossip was retried in 2004 and again found guilty and sentenced to death.

Glossip’s execution has been scheduled nine different times since 2015. His attorneys say he has been served a last meal three different times.

Glossip’s executions have been delayed due to concerns over Oklahoma’s lethal injection drug, and legal challenges from Glossip and his attorneys, who claim Glossip did not have a fair trial.

Glossip’s attorney, Don Knight, told News 4 prosecutors knew Sneed—their key witness—lied on the stand when he testified against Glossip, but they never told anyone.  

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond stepped in after his office discovered a box with key evidence inside had been destroyed and never shared with Glossip’s defense team before trial.

The United States Supreme Court has since ordered a new trial for Glossip.

On June 9, 2025, the A.G.'s Office announced it is not seeking the death penalty for Glossip "because the man who admitted to murdering Van Treese with a baseball bat is serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole."

“While it was clear to me and to the U.S. Supreme Court that Mr. Glossip did not receive a fair trial, I have never proclaimed his innocence,” Drummond said. “After the high court remanded the matter back to district court, my office thoroughly reviewed the merits of the case against Richard Glossip and concluded that sufficient evidence exists to secure a murder conviction. The same United States Constitution that guarantees our rights also ensures the rights of the accused. Unlike past prosecutors who allowed a key witness to lie on the stand, my office will make sure Mr. Glossip receives a fair trial based on hard facts, solid evidence and truthful testimony.”

According to the A.G.'s Office, Drummond is seeking a life sentence for Glossip, who has already served 27 years.

“The Van Treese family has endured grief, pain and frustration since the murder of their loved one, and my heart goes out to them,” Drummond added. “The poor judgment and previous misconduct of past prosecutors have only compounded that pain and frustration. While I cannot go back 25 years and handle the case in the proper way that would have ensured true justice, I still have a duty to seek the justice that is available today.”