TAKE TWO

Supreme Court Orders New Trial for Death Row Inmate

Richard Glossip has spent 25 years on death row after being convicted of commissioning a motel owner’s murder.

Richard Glossip, who has maintained his innocence for over two and half decades on death row, will get a new trial after spending the better part of his life behind bars. Glossip was initially convicted of commissioning the murder of an Oklahoma motel owner in 1997. He was working at the motel at the time and allegedly paid a man named Justin Sneed to do the deed. Sneed, who claimed he had a “meth habit,” agreed to plead guilty in exchange for testifying against Glossip. While Glossip was convicted in 1998 for first-degree murder, he’s been re-tried and re-convicted, including by the Supreme Court in 2015. He’s seen nine execution dates come and go and he’s eaten his “last meal” three times before a last-minute change of heart has led officials to prolong his life. On Tuesday, the high court ruled 5-3 in favor of Glossip, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivering the opinion. She wrote that earlier mistakes by the prosecution—including their failure to correct their key witness’ testimony—violated Glossip’s right to due process. Sotomayor said it was their “constitutional obligation” to retry the case.